Creighton Duke, the bounty hunter obsessed with killing Jason Voorhees in Jason Goes to Hell, originally came complete with a tragic backstory. Jason Goes to Hell definitely isn't one of the most beloved entries in the Friday the 13th series. That's not to say it doesn't have its fans, because they exist. In its plus column, Jason Goes to Hell provides some excellent gory kills, lots of the sex and nudity the franchise became famous for, and fan favorite actor Kane Hodder in the Jason Voorhees role.
Of course, the lack of Hodder's Jason is generally where the bad feelings toward Jason Goes to Hell come from. The film radically alters Jason's backstory and origins, turning him into a body-hopping demon after he's blown to pieces by an FBI SWAT team. This means "Jason" spends most of the ninth Friday the 13th movie killing people while possessing others, depriving hardcore fans of their Jason Voorhees fix.
One aspect of Jason Goes to Hell, which ended up being the second attempt at ending the franchise not to stick, that even most of its detractors appreciate is the character of Creighton Duke. Played by acclaimed character actor Steven Williams, Duke, a famous bounty hunter with his own training compound, volunteers to track down and kill Jason once and for all. A charismatic presence, Duke is a deadpan snarker with a flare for insults, and steals every scene he's in. However, his characterization was originally much more complex.
Jason Goes to Hell: Creighton Duke's Deleted Backstory Explained
In the finished cut of Jason Goes to Hell, Creighton Duke is a bit of a mystery. He's presented simply as a bounty hunter who's somehow learned the true nature of Jason Voorhees, and wants to put an end to the iconic villain for pride, glory, and money. He's a bit of an enigma, as it's never revealed how he came to know so much about Jason, or why he seems so invested in killing him for good, even aside from the pile of cash at stake. The only hint presented is when Duke finally encounters Jason, he asks if the killer remembers him, confirming that they've tangled before.
Thankfully, the original script for Jason Goes to Hell sheds some light on Creighton Duke's intended backstory. As a teenager, Duke was out on Crystal Lake with his girlfriend, but their day of relaxation was ruined when Jason emerged from below and capsized their boat. He then dragged Duke's girlfriend underwater, and despite Duke's best efforts to find her, she was never seen again. Bent on revenge, Duke dedicated his life to studying Jason, learning what makes him tick, and eventually ending his reign of terror once and for all. His work as a bounty hunter was done solely to fund Duke's real Jason-centered goal. Interestingly, while it appears that Duke is killed by Jason in the film, director Adam Marcus has since said that Duke survived, meaning he lived to see a world without Jason.