2006's Rocky Balboa tied up the franchise until the later Creed films, but, surprisingly, Adrian's character originally had a planned role that was written out. The first few opening scenes in the movie pack quite the emotional punch, letting viewers know that Rocky's (Sylvester Stallone) iconic other half is deceased, having previously died of cancer. It shows Adrian's (Talia Shire) picture on his nightstand and how he routinely visits her grave and solemnly sits with her memory. It's not only tragic to see a family lacking a wife and mother, but it's also a blow to fans of the franchise who have followed the Philadelphia power couple since the first installment. It was endearing to watch Rocky coax Adrian's initially timid character out of her shell, all while they both supported and brought out the best in each other over the years.

Interestingly, not only was her beloved character almost in Rocky Balboa, the entire project was almost a very different film overall. In a 2006 interview with Moviehole, Stallone (who wrote and directed the movie) explained that he had originally planned to use a "George Foreman format." This would have centered around Rocky doing commercial fights to pay the rent at his financially failing youth gym and becoming a Foreman-like (who was a famous, real-life fighter) figure. But, according to Stallone, the original script didn't do Adrian — or the common Rocky theme of overcoming internal and external adversity — any justice. He said, "But all Adrian did during the film was like 'don’t do that, don’t do that, don’t do that.' We’ve seen that. So the movie’s about trying to save the gym, and the kids, and it wasn’t about really any kind of visceral, emotional journey. Wasn’t about dealing with life."

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So, ultimately, Adrian's character was written out. Rocky and his son, Robert, attempt to salvage their relationship, though they're still reeling from grief. And Rocky, ever the hero, takes on and beats Mason "The Line" Dixon. The film undoubtedly benefitted from this plot change. Stallone captured the need for its chosen, more emotional essence well: "You have to pull a man’s heart out. And you take away the thing that he loves the most in the world, take it out of his life, he now plummets to the depths of despair. And there’s nothing more traumatic than taking Adrian out of his life." Though the Rocky movies are sports-centered in many ways, they also revolve around internal turmoil. This is showcased in Rocky's fear, uncertainty, grief, and embracement of love. And, as Sylvester Stallone aptly stated, the best way to make Rocky Balboa the most resonant it could be was by taking out one of the people the character loved most in the world, one of the very first people to truly believe in him.

And it's better that Adrian's character wasn't watered down. After all, despite being painfully shy when introduced in the first film, she slowly gained confidence and seemed much more comfortable in herself over the years. In moments like the famous one in Rocky III, where the titular boxing icon reveals to his wife that he's scared, Adrian is the couple's source of strength. She explains how it's okay to be afraid, especially in the face of danger or uncertainty--that it's part of the human experience. Though Rocky had to tenaciously pursue a first date with Adrian in the first film, they become an immensely close couple, who lean on and support each other at different points in the franchise.

They're strong, three-dimensional characters, and it would have been a disservice to Adrian to have flattened her role in the movie by infusing the problematically stereotypical theme of a sort of "nagging wife." Though the loss of her character in Rocky Balboa is deeply sad, it had to be done that way — both for her sake and that of the film itself. Stallone was correct in realizing that the loss and subsequent pain would light a fire under Rocky's character, allowing him to once again channel his signature sense of tenacious perseverance and a refusal to surrender to obstacles in his way.

Next: Rocky's Original Downer Ending Explained (& Why It's Now Lost)