45 Master Characters (56 page)

Give the hero the tools he'll need later on.

Give the hero an ego boost or confidence.

Mess things up so badly for the hero that he's later pushed in a new direction.

Sometimes the hero needs the help of others to fulfill his goal. How many people can rob a bank alone? Or drive a car and shoot at the same time? He may find himself alone in the end of the story, but for now he pulls together a team to set out on his journey.

This stage can be switched with Stage 3 depending on the type of story you're writing. If the hero needs help to find his calling then these characters come in to help him. If the hero has his goal and is answering the call to adventure, he'll later invite these characters in to assist him on his journey.

We really see the hero shine when he interacts with these characters. They can bring out his archetypal personality by either pushing his buttons so he reacts to them or by making him feel so comfortable he'll confide in them. Where would the loner cop be without the wise sidekick to drive him crazy?

Examples of Stage 2

Gilgamesh
translated by Maureen Kovacs

Enkidu, the primal wild man, travels to Urk to fight Gilgamesh because of the horrible way he is treating his people. When Enkidu loses the battle he agrees that Gilgamesh's “strength is the mightiest in the land,” and they become devoted friends.

Star Wars

Luke Skywalker meets C-3PO, R2-D2, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo and Chewbacca. Even though he saves the day alone in the end, he's now a part of a team that will support and teach him.

Three Kings

Archie learns someone has found the map to the gold. He tries to get it from them but realizes they can easily turn him in and then no one would get the gold. He knows he can't pull off stealing the gold all by himself, so everyone decides to team up.

Moby Dick

Ishmael meets Queequeg, and they both sign on as harpooners on the Pequod, Captain Ahab's ship. They make friends with the rest of the crew and become one of the guys.

Gender-Bending:
The Long Kiss Goodnight

Many people surround Samantha/Charly. She has a daughter, a live-in boyfriend and a teaching job, but something is missing in her life. She can't remember who she is. She just woke up one day on the beach.

Investigator Mitch Henessey (Samuel L. Jackson) is the only one left who will work on her missing persons case for what she can afford. He becomes her partner as they try to find out who she used to be.

Come up with five different ways to introduce the supporting characters here.

Be creative with supporting characters. Change their age, sex and background until you find the best fit for the story. Make sure they're capable of contributing something to the story whether it's humor or expertise.

You may hint at an inner problem in this stage. Use some of his archetypal flaws — greed, jealousy, etc., but this hero won't be ready to change or make the descent until the end of the story.

Stage 3: The Call

John makes it to the campsite and makes new friends, friends that seem to be on the same journey he is on. He feels at home with them.

The next day he wakes everyone up with the dawn and embarks on his climb once more, determined to reach the top first.

The hero either hears a call from someone else like a villain, or he hears the call of his own ego and sets out to attain his goal. He hasn't gotten in touch with his heart at this point and may not know what's really important to him or what it is he really wants.

Calls can come in several ways:

A Challenge:
The villain may be coming around to check him out, to see what the hero is made of. He'll throw the hero a bone and see if he bites. This draws the hero out into the open and may expose his strengths and weaknesses to the villain. The hero's desire to win and the drive to succeed fuels him; he can't resist the task at hand.

A Surprise:
The hero has been waiting for a chance to go after his goal but never expected the call to come; it seems to just land in his lap. Or, the villain is surprised because he didn't know the hero existed. This ups the stakes of the game for the villain, especially if the hero is unusually skilled or smart about things.

From Hero's Desire or Ego:
The hero creates his own call: “I need that …” or “I want this …” or “I'm the only one who can. …” He may be feeling the pressure to fulfill his duty and to help out, or he may be totally self-involved and want only to help himself.

A Red Herring:
The hero gets caught up in the wrong idea, path or goal. A supporting character messes things up for him and leads him astray, or the entire plot is based on a false belief another character puts into the hero's head. A lot of comedies start out this way.