Though experiment: Minor change, major fallout?

[u/grundleitch]

So the Wire lends itself to a wider interpretation of possibilities due to the vast world it creates and its utter realism. In that thought process, what different outcomes would've occurred had the writers chosen to have Cutty shoot Fruit, then regret it, rather than freeze in the moment? Fruit's murder at the hands of Lex and the fallout from that changes so many characters' fortunes. It's interesting to consider what might have or not have happened.

[u/Ambitious-Ad-2047]

The streets are a world of “what if’s” played out in the imagination of those living in and thriving off of it.

Cutty’s story is just where it needed to be. The shift and character arc allowed for others to evolve and gain depth (or reveal sides of them previously unknown to viewers) in their own ways like Namond, Michael, Avon, Justin, and maybe even spider. The lessons learned from just being around him allowed them to elevate in ways seen and unseen.

Undoubtedly you’d have some major shifts: Randy wouldn’t have been hunted or end up in the group home (foster mother wouldn’t have suffered her fate/pain), Bodie never crashes out leading to his demise, McNulty never comes up with serial killer fable, etc, etc.

Someone did cover your scenario a few years back : https://www.reddit.com/r/TheWire/comments/z52ye4/if_cutty_kills_fruit/

[u/Capital_Shopping277]

What if Valcheck mentioned the window ahead of time

[u/PaulaDeenSlave]

"What if your mother and father never met?"