A definig event in the main character's life.

[Queshire]

So, I've been thinking about my main character's personalty and back story. One of his main characteristics is that he's NOT a hero, but he's not the type of guy to do nothing when a problem is right in front of him, I've been trying to think of what might make him this way and this is what I've come up with.

-Back when the main character (MC) was really young, he watched this show Heroman, sort of a Superman / Power Rangers parody.

-He was OBSESSED with the show. He wanted to grow up to be a HERO!!! Fighting for truth, jutsice and all that rot.

-One day, he heard that Heroman was going to be at a local minimart for some publicity stunt. He was super excited.

-However, when the day came, something happened in the middle of the event, I'm thinking some thug tries to rob the minimart.

-This was great! He was finally going to see Heroman in action beating up the thug! He excitedly turns to Heroman to see him jumping into action.

-Only... instead of jumpining into action, Heroman wets his pants and runs away.

-The main character is absolutely crushed! His hero turned and ran! He might have grew up twisted and eveil if it weren't for the fact that the minimart's manager, a grouchy old man that was about as far from a hero as possible calmly walks up to the gun totting thug and whacks him over the head with his cane.

-This teaches the main character that heroes might be fake, but that just means it's up to the average citizen to take a stand when neccesary.

In the end, nobody was hurt, and on the larger scale it was an unimportant event, and it's a bit silly, but it left a big impresion on the young main character.

So, what do you guys think?

 

[Caged Maiden]

I love to dash my characters' hopes and dreams..... I'm in support of disillusioning characters and breaking them a little..... It is what makes them rise up in the story.

 

[Rich_The_Fifth]

what anihow said! I agree!!! build em up to break em down...

or have broken people try to connect the dots..... best type of stories IMO

 

[Caged Maiden]

You should see some of the horrible things I've done to my characters.... If they're not bleeding, or crying... well then I haven't done my job. But I'm a softy and give 'em a little love while I'm torturing them.

 

[Rikilamaro]

You have to have this moments in make your character's motives make sense. I agree that it's a bit silly, but in retrospect most defining moments are from an outside perspective. The silliness just makes it memorable.

You should also make Heroman scream like a girl.

 

[Rikilamaro]

You should see some of the horrible things I've done to my characters.... If they're not bleeding, or crying... well then I haven't done my job. But I'm a softy and give 'em a little love while I'm torturing them.

I love this. ^^^

 

[Caged Maiden]

I love this. ^^^

I feel entitled...my life has been brutal.

To Queshire... I re-read your question again to see whether I might have any more insight, and was thinking what if it was less than an armed assailant? What if since he was doing a publicity stunt some local frat boys come to beat him up... or a local bully does it on a dare... or maybe he showed up drunk and just got belligerant and the cops took him away.....

 

[Helen]

Sounds alright.

 

[shangrila]

It works. Maybe another thing to consider is Heroman does intervene and gets his ass kicked.

 

[BeigePalladin]

It works. Maybe another thing to consider is Heroman does intervene and gets his ass kicked.

see, I'd advise not to do this because it gives a different message; this lets you know he's still effectivly a good eprson (still possibly a "hero") but human. still somone to look up to, in effect.

running away shows him a coward and someone you can't really look up to.

 

[shangrila]

see, I'd advise not to do this because it gives a different message; this lets you know he's still effectivly a good eprson (still possibly a "hero") but human. still somone to look up to, in effect.

running away shows him a coward and someone you can't really look up to.

True, but then you're dealing with a child's point of view here. In their world, heroes are all conquering. To see one humbled, well, they wouldn't say "he tried", they'd see he failed, which would effect their eventual development into an adult.

Honestly, this (along with a few other examples) might fit the character better, showing him that trying to do what's right gets you nowhere, that heroes fail and the world is a dark, dark place, leading to him not doing anything when a situation arises.

 

[Penpilot]

I like this character defining moment. One thing I'll add to the conversation is another interpretation of the incident. The character may also interpret the incident as heroes aren't always the ones wearing the fancy costumes and aren't always in plain sight.