Now let’s be clear here, the opponent can be the bad guy or the good guy depending on the POV of your main character.
Oh! You didn’t know that? Okay, example…ah…Minions! Gru is technically the ‘bad guy’ that you root for. Another? Okay…Dexter! He is a way worse bad guy than Gru, but we all wanted to see him get away with the wicked murders he carried out. See?
Bad guys can be the MC and the good guy the opponent. Whoever is the antagonist to your MC is the opponent. This is about the function in the story more than anything else.
P.S. You are and will always be the ‘bad guy’ in someone’s story. I have actually taken some time to think about this and found it to be true. I may not have set out to hurt anyone but did anyway. Keep that in mind as you move through life.
Good morning, noon-ish, or evening. I have no clue what time it is for you, but it is morning for me. Know how I know? I’m tired and begging for more coffee. Ugh, that could also mean it is noon-ish, but not evening. I try not to drink coffee after 2:00, because I would really like to sleep at night. Let’s go fill our cuppas and grab a nibble. My nibble this morning is a breakfast burrito I made myself.
Egg whites, pepper jack cheese, taco seasoned burger, sauce, all rolled up in a tortilla. Yummers to the MAX! Grab yourself anything you can find. There are granola bars up in the cabinet. No, the one to the left. Your other left. There ya go. Help yourself. I’ll meet you out on the reading rug once I finish rolling this burrito up. Don’t forget your copy of The Anatomy of Story by John Trudy. We are on page 46, The Opponent.
Please, remember we are not covering the entire book. I will only touch on a few chapters I think will help us. I do, however, recommend you buy a copy and read through anything you need clarified or go back in the archives of this blog and find what you need. You can also send me a message. I will gladly do my best to answer your questions. Just don’t send me crappy SPAM ads. Argh. That is so annoying.
Alrighty, let’s get into it.
A true opponent not only wants to prevent your MC from getting what they want, they are also competing for the same goal. Let’s just assume your MC is the good guy (to make this easier to explain). Your good guy is trying to get to a treasure they believe is buried in the mountains. Cool? Okay, the bad guy in your story gets wind of this magnificent treasure and decides he/she/they deserve it more than the good guy. Not only do they race to get there first, they also throw obstacles in the way of the good guy. Understand?
The obstacles are where your good guy and the opponent come into direct conflict with one another. They do this over and over through the story to move it forward. Let’s think about any Indiana Jones movie, The Mummy, or National Treasure. These are educated, well intended heroes trying to save treasures. While doing so they come into conflict with many who want the treasures for themselves.
These movies show how the story progresses with each interaction between protagonist and antagonist. Now you have an excuse to binge watch some movies. Call it research and make some popcorn. I like The Mummy, but I am a Brendan Fraser fan.
Key Point: To find the right opponent, start with your MC’s specific goal; whoever wants to keep them from getting what they want/need is the opponent.
How are we doing? Is this helping? Do you have any questions or need someone to binge watch bad movies with? Send me a message and let’s chat. BUT- NO CRAPPY ADS! I say that as ads pop up on my page. Sorry.
Next up- Plan
Until then…
Polish your sparkle and keep twirling.
Find joy. Be joy. Enjoy.
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