Old habits die hard.
This post was
originally going to be focused on one character and one character only. And with good reason; I’m pretty sure I’ve
drilled a certain phrase into this blog over and over again, and I don’t see
much reason to repeat itMAINCHARACTERDEFINESASTORYagain. It should go without saying, then, that the
MC of D.O.X. was one of the major
defining factors of the story. He owned
it. He shaped it. He changed it. And while the story started with him being
bored one day in class, the story -- wrapping up over the span of three days,
sans epilogue -- ended with him punching the canine embodiment of the
apocalypse in the face. Said canine,
by the way, would have been big enough to its mouth stretch from one end of the
horizon to another. Character
development’s a hell of a thing.
I’m not so bold as to
claim that the MC is absolutely perfect, but each new version of the story helps
said MC get closer and closer to the ideal form. I’ve done what I’ve can, and then I did even
more. But the thing that I’ve realized
is that he was never D.O.X.’s problem. Never. The problem, without question, came from
virtually everyone else. And by
extension, there was one major issue that I’ve fixed with this third and final
version -- but the fact that I only recently made such a fix means that certain
“trends” are a lot more heavily-engraved than anyone would care to admit. Anyone can fall prey to them. Even me.
So let me say this to
start: D.O.X. had a pretty good
MC. The problem was that it needed two.
...Yeah, it's kind of like that.
If you’ve been with
this blog for a while, you probably know that I have certain preferences when
it comes to character. First and
foremost, I want them to have character.
And second, I want them to give me something to latch onto -- no matter
the alignment (you can’t spell “character” without “care”!). The corollary I’ve been screeching about for
months now is that I prefer heroic characters -- though that might just be a
knee-jerk reaction to the Age of Gritpocalypse the video game industry is
ass-deep in -- because I think they’re more interesting. The morality, the charisma, the ideals, the
general goodness…they’re things that we’re always on the lookout for, whether
we appreciate it or not. But that’s a
topic for another day.
That all said, I’m not against the occasional
anti-hero (or even borderline villain).
I’m not. I said as much when
dealing with Batman and Wolverine, and I meant it. I mean it to this day. What’s important isn’t whether a character is
good or evil; it’s whether they’re interesting.
That’s why villains are an important part of the equation. That’s why characters who are nothing but squeaky-clean constantly get crapped
on by fans (apparently I’m one of about eight people in the world who likes
Cyclops -- and deserve being punched for thinking as much, according to the
Best Friends Zaibatsu). Making an
interesting character is what any creator should strive towards.
It’s a good thing,
too. Because my MC was an asshole.
Not like that, though.
Still, I'm not using hyperbole here. That was the core part of his
character. It still is, in a lot of
respects. He acknowledged it several
times throughout the story, even if he didn’t do much to change public
perception. His selfish, self-serving
actions end up costing him in a big way well before story’s end, and it’s
arguable he had to learn the same lessons --and common decency -- multiple
times before it stuck, and only after
making sacrifices he wouldn’t have made if he just did the right thing. Nearly every member of the main cast called
him an asshole over the course of the tale.
And I’ve done the same just by describing him to others. He’s a character who can be nice, and is
something very close to a heroic figure, but in general? He’s not the kind of person I’d imagine
anyone would want to hang around with for too long. He’s like Shrek, I guess -- there’s a good
person in there, but you’d better be ready to peel several hundred onion layers
to get to it.
What I find supremely
interesting is that even if he’s a less-than-savory character, input from readers
suggests that he’s still incredibly likable.
(And that includes male and female readers, in case you were
wondering.) They acknowledged that he
was a “dark” character -- and that’s very true, in many respects -- but they
knew that he wasn’t irredeemable or intolerable. They liked that he was bold. Confident.
Intelligent. Sharp-witted, and
sharp-tongued. They gave me every
indication that he was a character they were willing to follow, and seemed
genuinely disturbed by his death. I
guess there really is just something about bad boys.
So let’s not delay any
longer. Lady and gentleman, I give you
the (original) MC: Arc Howard. In his many
incarnations over the ages.
Let’s see what old
files have to say about Arc.
“While he may look emo and gloomy, he’s anything but; witty, outspoken,
cocky and sarcastic to a fault, he’s always ready to let fly an insult or
two. He may only be 15, but his
ambitiousness and resolve tower over men twice his size (if only he had the
height to match…). Once he sets his eyes
on something, good luck trying to talk him out of it. Despite that -- or maybe, because of it --
he’s about to learn a very brutal lesson -- one that’ll take him to the grave
and back.”
Huh. I probably should have mentioned somewhere
that his real name is Archie. For
foreshadowing purposes.
If I had to describe
Arc in one word, it would be “extreme”.
He’s no “ordinary
high school student”, I can tell you that.
For one thing, he’s shorter. But
silliness aside, he’s a guy who’s completely earnest in pursuing -- and is controlled
by -- his ambitions. Sometimes that’s a
good thing, because it drives him to go beyond normal and create the sort of
world he wants. Other times it’s a bad
thing, because anyone that doesn’t conform to his absurdly-high standards ends
up getting the cold shoulder. And, you
know, it’s pretty much his ambition and push to learn the truth that ends up
getting him killed. Slaughtered, even.
In the first version of
the story, Arc’s character development came from him realizing that he has no
friends, and as such no one to love him or appreciate that he was gone. That plot thread is no longer a concern. It’s just too BORING for anything I want to
make, at least with a story like this.
So no, this isn’t a story about a sour-faced anti-hero learning about
the power of friendship; in fact, V2 had him outright (justifiably) calling a
fellow cast member out on trying to throw that in his face, because they didn’t
even know each other for a full day beforehand.
So that got repurposed into him searching for a new, true desire in his
life, and pursuing it steadfastly. That,
in essence, gave him the chance to both reach the zenith of human potential as
well as march steadfastly to a hell of his creation. In fact, you could pretty much chart out D.O.X.’s plot progression along with
Arc’s progression as a character.
Essentially, there are seven distinct phases that he goes through.
So let’s get right to
it. With the appropriate music, ofcourse.
Phase 1: The introduction.
Arc starts to get in deep with a mystery around town, but despite his
bravado things go WAY off the rails and he’s forced to realize he’s losing
control of the situation. And then he
dies.
Phase 2: The big trial. By
some “miracle” (more on that another time), Arc finds out that he has a chance
to come back to life and fight against the ghosts and creepy-crawlies wreaking
havoc -- but only if he can overcome a slew of mental challenges that threaten
(and do) break him in two.
Phase 3: The revival. Arc
makes it back with ghost powers in tow, and starts his big comeback tour against
the enemy ghosts. However, he finds that
even with his new powers it’s still not quite enough, so he has to find a way
to fine-tine his new powers…and rely on his unlikely comrades. And then bad stuff happens.
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Phase 4: THE
TURNING POINT. The cast gets split up, and Arc uses it as a
chance to take on a personal mission.
It’s here that we see some of the best parts of Arc, and his
slow-but-certain evolution.
Unfortunately, it’s in this phase that some of his worst parts are teased and built up. It comes to a head when he’s forced to fight
the most painful duel of his life. And
he loses more than just the fight. He
breaks. HARD.
Phase 5: The truth. Arc
veers right off the edge, and goes from comrade to killer for the sake of his
self-ordained mission. In the midst,
something major about Arc is revealed -- something that sheds a new light on
his character, and explains (but doesn’t justify) why he does the things that
he does. But his comrades get fed up
with his maverick ways, and they boot him out -- meaning that he’s forced to
fight alone. And, you know, get worse.
Phase 6: The despair. Arc
gets worse. He and his comrades are at
their lowest point, but our “hero” has practically turned into a shell of his
former self. Beaten down by the world
itself, he’s left to his devices in a dark, cold, and lethal world. So he does the only “logical” thing: he turns
into a berserker obsessed with killing in a purgatory content with throwing
undying phantoms at him until the end of time…at least before he gives up and
decides to give in to his despair.
Paradoxically, it’s at this point -- when he’s at absolute zero -- when
he comes to a sudden realization, and fights off his despair to rise once again
with newfound purpose and willpower.
Shame that it gets worse…for someone else. But for him by proxy.
Phase 7: The stand. Arc
makes it back to the battlefield just in time to get some heartbreaking
news. But despite that -- or maybe
because of it -- he presses onward, doing his best to make up for what he did
and ultimately storming the big baddie’s lair for one hell of a punch-up. But as these things tend to go, things get
even worse as the truth is revealed, he’s forced to fight despite being mere
minutes from death, and the apocalypse bears down on him. And yet, despite all that, he wins. Cue bittersweet ending. Well, there’s some other stuff, but I’ll keep
that a secret for now.
Okay. So you know how when I talked about Metal Gear Rising, I coined the phrase
“The Yo-Yo Dichotomy”? Assuming that
you’re still reading his page and haven’t scrambled to find the link, in a
nutshell it’s about making a badass character look more badass by not making him/her badass every second. Like most things in the arts, it’s all about
balance. Highs and lows. You can get a lot more from a character that
gets brained by yo-yo flying at the back of his head than a character that
catches it out of the air with superhuman reflexes and foresight. Arc used to be that faux-badass character in
the first version of the story. In
V2? He’s one of the most put-upon
characters in the entire story -- both in a joking sense, and a serious one.
Basically, Arc has to
get broken to get his character development.
The story -- and fate itself -- seems curiously eager to shit all over
his day, so every step he takes to reach his apex is one that comes after he
rebuilds himself. Physically and
mentally, obviously; the problem with him isn’t that he needs friends, family, and
love. The problem is that he is (even
now, maybe more so) a character that’s all about concepts. Ideas and lofty ideals. On one hand, that’s something to admire in
some cases; on the other, it puts pressure on him to try and have everything
and everyone go his way. Is it worth
it? Well, you saw that rundown, didn’t
you? You tell me.
There’s probably more
than I can say about Arc. A lot
more. But again, I’m trying not to make
the same mistake twice. So let’s take a
moment to switch gears.
Let’s go ahead and
assume the best of me. Let’s say that D.O.X., right now, is just-good-enough
to get published. Let’s say that Arc can
do the job by virtue of his furious fists.
(Yeah, he uses his fists, by the way.
More on that another time.) And
maybe all that is true, without the need for playing the hypothetical
game. But here’s the thing: even if that’s the case, it would be a
complete and utter personal failure.
Why? Because in light of this
blog, I’d be doing a LOT of things that I’ve done my best to speak out
against. It just goes to show how
pervasive some of the problems with storytelling can be…and on the flip-side,
how it’s possible to point them out and overcome them before we have a complete
disaster on our hands. Usually.
So. Let’s chat a bit about Katie Noether.
It really doesn’t say
good things when I have to cut pictures of her out of multi-character drawings
instead of relying on a safely-stored archive.
But whatever. Let’s dig up an old
profile.
“Arc’s right-hand woman (who just happens to look half his age), the
two of them go back several years. She’s
inexplicably cheery and active much of the time, but her perceptiveness and
disdain for normalcy makes her a perfect complement to her partner’s aims. When New Rock City starts falling apart at
its seams, Katie gets caught in the chaos -- but oddly enough, she’s taking it
quite well… “
If I had to rank the
characters in this story in terms of importance, Katie would have been right
behind Arc. In many ways, she’s his foil
-- a nicer, brighter person to be around, and more concerned with norms and
society than he’ll ever be. Arc may be
fiercely intelligent, but even in the earliest versions she had a certain
wisdom that he didn’t. There was a
reason that he called her his partner, and she called him his. And it went beyond just some big reveal; it
was something that would have been set up from the start, and paid off in every
instance.
Too bad I completely
botched the execution.
She had it the worst in
V1. She was in no uncertain terms Arc’s
girlfriend, but with all the worst aspects of her character and role dialed
up. In her first appearance she was insanely
hyper and prattled on and on about going to a pep rally. She called Arc a few scenes later because he
missed their lunch date. In her first
(brief) scene alone, she couldn’t think about anyone or anything else besides
Arc -- and being a girl, but whatever.
Her role in the plot wasn’t established by her actions, but by things
happening to her -- something that Arc would have to sort out with zero input
from his “partner”.
She wasn’t even there
for several important scenes, up to and including the climax (i.e. Arc’s death
scene). And that’s not even the worst of
it. She was completely excised from the
story until it was time for her to be the lynchpin in a big plot twist -- one
that anyone with knowledge of certain South
Park episodes or a vague understanding of the Darkstalkers franchise could predict. Simply put, I didn’t sell her as someone Arc (or
the reader) should ever care about -- which was sort of the point, as per the
big twist, but there was no payoff for that sort of plotline.
She fared better in
V2. She got more scenes to be herself --
someone sugary on the outside, but carrying some serious baggage on the inside
-- and more scenes to prove exactly why Arc would claim she could back him up
in a fight. (I’ll get into this later,
but for now I’ll say that Arc is a pure Fragile
Speedster, while Katie’s got more of a lean towards power, a la Paul
Phoenix from his Street Fighter X Tekken incarnation.) She had a bigger emotional range, and more
pronounced desires; she was Arc’s partner, but she was also something of his
keeper. His protector. So when he dies, she does NOT take it well,
and pushes her more smoothly toward the big twist. The darker aspects of her character --
aspects that you’d expect from Doctor Doom crossed with Hannibal Lecter --
flared up at opportune moments, and hit their peak as needed. She was set up as a person as dark, or even
darker, than Arc himself.
But the base problems
were still there. The main cast, even
today, consists of a team of eight -- Arc and Katie included -- but back then
Katie spent the entirety of it excised from the rest. That’s not exaggeration; she only met two
other members of the core eight, and even then only for a handful of
pages. She put on airs of being useful
to Arc and trying to bring about a resolution, but not enough to put her on
equal ground with the MC. The issues
with V1 just kept dragging the newer version down, no matter how many scenes I
added, or how much retooling I did with dialogue or personas. In hindsight, it was something like putting
flame decals on a car that had tumbled off a cliff and exploded.
You might think that
I’m being hard on myself, and maybe that’s true to some extent. Maybe I’ve just forced myself to move on to
V3 as a way to overcompensate -- because I over-thought certain aspects and now
I think the whole thing is a hot mess.
That’s a very real possibility.
But here’s the thing: if I’m not hard on myself, who will be? If D.O.X.
went out there and got a pass from critics, what’s stopping it from getting
savaged by readers -- the dedicated fans, men and women, who can spot those
flaws much more readily than the pros? It
would be like me releasing DmC with a
grin and a thumbs-up -- and I can’t bring myself to do that. Not with V2.
Why? Because Katie died at the end. She died, and she doesn’t get to come
back. Ever. Because in order for Arc to live, she had to
sacrifice herself and give him another
chance.
That right there is
some skeezy shit. Okay, sure, it fits in
perfectly with the story and the plot’s progression; Arc was using Katie as an
emotional crutch -- a concept -- and just barely saw her as a person with her
own will and opinions. (To be fair,
Katie did the same, to the point where they were each other’s Manic Pixie Dream Girl.) He was willing to turn his back on everything
and everyone, but paradoxically, the one person he needed to leave behind the
most was the person he couldn’t do without.
And given that it was
either “take her life and fight one more time against the end of the world” or
“let everything and everyone that will ever exist cease to exist”, it was the only choice, given as much gravitas and
painfulness as you’d expect. But damn it
all, I made a mistake. Katie
shouldn’t have had to been the fall guy. Not when I barely did anything with her
besides literally slotting her into the princess role, give or take a few
variations. She wasn’t the character she
needed to be -- and because of that, the core eight was pretty much just the core seven.
And I ain’t havin’
that.
If you follow this
feature for however long it goes on, you’re going to find that several
characters have been given DRASTIC overhauls from what they used to be. And Katie is one of them. Sure, she’s got the same basic backstory --
same schoolgirl, same family members -- but like everyone else, parts of her
character have been played up or played down.
What’s been played down is her former role as the princess, and her
status as simply “the opposites-attract girlfriend”; she’s still got that
brightness to her, but it’s much more mellow and focused.
What’s been played up is her role in the story; in V3 --
which I’ll give a proper title eventually -- she makes her first appearance in
the second chapter, and helps Arc start sorting out the mysteries in the
city. In the next chapter, she and Arc
face down some mutating street thugs, but she leaves to get their teacher to
safety…and then comes back by
chapter’s end to help kick ass alongside Arc.
She gets to fight almost as often as Arc does, and gets to prove herself
in and out of a scuffle in her own distinct way. On her own terms. She doesn’t have to share the spotlight, and
she doesn’t get pushed into the shadows when it’s time for the boys to do their
thing. She’s got her own….which would
probably explain why she’s been rebranded.
Bye bye, Katie
Noether. Say hello to Kaylee Hazlett. And her new partner, Arc Siegel.
(Hey, what's with those alphas next to their names? Pretty good question...hmhmhmhmhmmmmm...)
I could go on about the
changes to both, but I don’t want to say too much that’ll reveal my hand. But for now, I’ll say a few things I think
are important to these new characters, condensed into four points. First:
Concepts are going to be vital to both of them, and the fact that they hold
different things in high esteem is going to create some friction. Second:
One of the main ideas -- the themes, or at least the phrase repeated a number
of times -- is “leaving it all behind”.
What that means for these two, and other characters, is going to
vary. And cause more problems, of
course.
Third: Like Katie Kaylee, Arc has had his character tweaked
as well; he’s less of an aggressive asshole and more of a cooler, muted
one. Imagine turning the tint down on your
TV when it’s too red, and you’ve got the idea.
Fourth: That said, in light
of the new affect of the story, both these characters are likely going to end
up darker, and more contemplative -- forced to face not just the worst parts of
themselves, but the worlds around them.
And when all’s said and done, BOTH these characters are going to be much
sadder than their V1 or V2 counterparts.
ESPECIALLY Arc; when you find out who he really is or why he does the
things that he does, you may want to pour one out for him.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand…that’s
about all I’ve got for you. Guess I’d
better wrap it up for now. What’s the
next topic going to be? Conventional
knowledge would suggest that I should move from one pair to the next, but think
back to how I started this post: old habits die hard. And it’s time for me to break one of them by
tackling a different issue. So I’m
thinking that I need to go into a bit more detail on -- you guessed it -- the
setting. And the circumstances around
it. And more gimmicks. And (possibly (tangentially)) the main
baddie.
We’ll see how it
goes. I’d like to avoid accidentally
making a V4, obviously. Even though 4 is
-- as discussed -- the greatest number of all.
Oh wait, one more thing
I want to mention: me being me, you can expect a fair number of hidden video
game references/tributes. More
specifically, there are a number of allusions to the Guilty Gear franchise, to the point that the main characters have
some winking nods. Example? In V1/V2, Arc and Katie made nods to
characters Eddie/Zato-1 and May, respectively (and Arc himself shares a name
with the franchise’s makers, Arc System Works).
That said, in V3, Arc and Kaylee make nods to Eddie and Millia Rage.
Hmmm.
...Lord Ishiwatari, play
me out!
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