The Bullet: why Hamilton's 'secret' character is its most important

Warning: mild spoilers

Even if you have spent the best part of the past two years meticulously memorising the lyrics to Hamilton, the musical offers a lot to take in upon first viewing. For the kind of fan who has hunted down rehearsal photos and leaked video recordings from the Broadway production, there's the hyperreality of seeing David Korins's set design and Paul Tazewell's costumes in the flesh. For those who are experiencing Lin-Manuel Miranda's creation for the first time – the lucky things – there's an awful lot of American history to plough through.

Throw in the fact that the Pulitzer Prize-winning Miranda has made a musical of many layers (hip-hop references here, historical fact there, a sprinkling of Gilbert and Sullivan appreciation on top) and it's understandable that some of his creation could get lost in the mix.

But even those fans who have watched Hamilton several times may have missed this. One ensemble member whose role is vital to Hamilton's plot, but is often overlooked as a result of her actions: The Bullet. Originally played on Broadway by Ariana DeBose, The Bullet is an ensemble member who doesn't take on named roles, such as Samuel Seabury and James Reynolds.

Instead, she – and so far, the role has always been played by a woman – becomes a harbinger of death in the play, staying close to characters who die during Hamilton and becoming increasingly present as the musical reaches its climax in the form of the titular character's death.

That Hamilton, both the man and the musical, are preoccupied with death is no secret: the Founding Father was fascinated by his own mortality ("I imagine death so much it feels just like a memory"), and Miranda wrote that into the central core of his leading man's persona. Similarly, death, and the specifics of Hamilton's, is hinted at in the copious references to shots and gunfire.

The Bullet brings that preoccupation onto the stage. As online magazine The Odyssey points out, we see her becoming The Bullet during Stay Alive in Act I, when she passes by Hamilton as the sound of a gunshot ushers in his first verse. From that point on, if Hamilton is talking about death, it's likely that she'll be nearby. The Bullet can be seen standing next to Hamilton during Ten Duel Commandments for the line, "Pick a place to die where it's high and dry" – a move that she will replicate when the song is reprised before Hamilton's death, and the pair stand together for numbers six and seven of the commandments.

The Bullet isn't just twinned with Hamilton and his downfall, either. One of the most devastating surprises for those who have heard the soundtrack is Eliza's spoken announcement of John Laurens' death. But three songs earlier, The Bullet was by his side: she shakes his hand during Yorktown after the pair kill a redcoat.

She also contributes to Philip's death, too, when she tells him where to find George Eaker, the man who shoots him. Later, when she fist pumps Burr during The Election of 1800 after enthusing, "I can't believe we're with him", The Bullet is setting the stage for Hamilton's downfall: by filling Burr with a false confidence he will win the election. Hamilton's support of rival presidential candidate Jefferson encouraged Burr to challenge him to the fatal dual.

This isn't all eagle-eyed fan theory, either. While the West End version of The Bullet is yet to go on the record, DeBose did, and explained more about playing Hamilton's grim reaper.

She recalled the moment that choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler named the part: "One day in rehearsal when Andy said, 'Ari, come here and trace this line – you’re going to make the bullet miss Hamilton,'" she told The Great Discontent.

"That was the first phase of creating the character of The Bullet. He said, 'You do it twice: the first time, the bullet misses him, and the second time, it doesn’t.'"

Director Thomas Kail slowed down the duel scenes as a tribute to The Matrix, but this only allows the audience to see The Bullet's role more clearly. DeBose said of the last duel of the night: "We’re slowing the bullet down to give Hamilton time to say everything he wants to say." Those who have seen it will know that The Bullet is picked up on her side by other ensemble members and carried over to Hamilton, carrying an invisible bullet between her thumb and forefinger.

"It was really special to create something like that, because it’s inspired by a lot of different pieces we’ve already seen; it’s very Matrix-like. I’ve never seen a moment on stage like it."

The Bullet has since become a minor phenomenon on social media, with Broadway cast members and fans tagging photos and tweets with #TheBullet. While DeBose appeared to take the role on single-handedly for the original Broadway production – aside from when she was replaced by Kamille Upshaw, to Miranda's acclaim – tweets from cast members in New York suggest that The Bullet is one that could be shared around between ensemble members during the run:

In the West End, The Bullet has been claimed by ensemble member Leah Hill, although she's not credited as The Bullet in the cast list.

Regardless of her costume, DeBose maintained that she was The Bullet throughout her time on stage: "It’s really intense for me because I always know I’m aiming for him – even if the rest of the ensemble members don't. So even if I’m just a lady in a ballgown at a party, there’s still a part of my character that knows that that moment is going to come."