Hannibal: 10 Things That Would've Happened Next
6. Barney Rubble
Fan-favourite Barney Matthews was one of Thomas Harris' few characters who escaped the wrath of Dr. Lecter unharmed. Showing that manners get you everywhere, Lecter preferred to eat the rude, which he called "free range rude."
Most known for the portrayal by Frankie Faison in all three of the Hopkins Hannibals, Barney was the head orderly at the Baltimore State Mental Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Unlike Dr. Chilton, Barney was kind to Lecter, and it is undoubtedly what saved his life. Having a much larger part in the books than the films, the book even starts up a romantic liaison between Barney and Margot Verger. With Chilton left *erm* incapacitated at the end of Fuller's show, if Lecter were to return to the hospital, there would have to be someone else in charge. Given her ties with the Verger storyline, perhaps Alana Bloom again, which could tie him back into his relationship with Margot.
After Lecter's escape, it is revealed that Barney is posing online, selling off valuable Lecter merchandise as a way to get rich after the hospital's closure. As the final chapter of the Hannibal book actually takes place from the viewpoint of Barney himself, the character is a must-have addition to the cast.