jackalsquad4

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Digimon Story: Time Stranger ‘Deep Dive with Producer Ryosuke Hara’ video.

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Optimus and his new friend <3

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Shadow The Hedgehog Music Video: Be Somebody

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Papa Wolf/Papa Hulk

Bruce had someone that cared for him all along. He might not be exactly friendly, but Immortal Hulk is a true dad to Bruce Banner.

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Danny Phantom X Hades [crossover]

| more info after & link to my original concept post below |

character design notes: -Danny has half a coin, cause the dead needed a coin to pay for passage into the afterlife. he's half dead so he gets half a coin -Blue icy hands like the game's protogenos, Zagreus' fiery feet -armor inherited from Pariah Dark -gold/bronze armor for Danny for that good opposite color palette

my original concept post

[jackalsquad4]

Ok, so with Hades 2 getting an update and one step closer to finally coming out of early (hopefully), out of pure excitement, I decided to make this based on patterns I've seen in the past two games. Buckle up, because this is a long one! I bring you

Hades 3 Predictions

Protagonist

Hades 1: Zagreus (Zag)

Hades 2: Melinoe (Mel)

Hades 3: Macaria (Max) - Goddess of Blessed Death

I don't care what the Mythology Guy on YouTube says, multiple sources have accepted her as a daughter of Hades and not just a mix-up of Heracles' kid. Even if it was, Zagreus had a similar problem with Dionysus and the game was able to circumvent that so I don't see why that couldn't happen again here.

Also, I'll say this now, I'm not against woke stuff being in the game as long as it doesn't overstep any boundaries (gotta remember this is someone's religion after all). But even though it literally says she's Hades' daughter, I think it would be amazing to make her She/them (hence, the neutral name "Max") just for the sake of Persephone going around screaming "I collected the whole set!"

Class

Zagreus: Fighter

Melinoe: Mage

Macaria: Thief/Rogue

Using Pokemon's Gen 6 starters as a reference point (and then Google), I found out the basic RPG classes are Fighter, Mage, and Rogue and noticed a pattern in the games' fighting styles. Mel is obviously a Mage, Zagreus could go either way but with how much he just brute forces his way through his game, I opted more for Fighter.

So that leaves Rogue for Macaria which is actually pretty interesting that a child of Hades hasn't had a more stealthy role yet. Imagine your character having times where you don't have the option of forcing your way through like where you could instantly die or lose an important item or something. Instead, you work from the shadows and find yourself in situations where you have to sneak by, like a boss you're completely under-leveled for or a chamber that'll lock if you're caught and then you have to fight your way through.

It also fits because with how little sources there is on her, the only logical explanation besides it being fake is that she's so sneaky that no one can get any solid information on her!

Color scheme

Zagreus: Red/fire colors and Black

Melinoe: Green and Orange (plus Arachne's dresses)

Macaria: Yellow/White and Blue/Purple

This is more of an aesthetic thing that I noticed where Zag wore red and Mel wore orange and they had cooler colors as accents to their looks. I figured Macaria could continue the trend of warm colored clothing with a darker accent or as a change go dark with light accents instead. Maybe a cloak over her clothes like Raven from Teen Titans for extra mystery.

Eyes

Zagreus: Left Red Right Green

Melinoe: Left Green Right Red

Macaria: Switch on command?

Another aesthetic that a lot of people probably noticed was that the siblings had one of each of their parents' eyes and they were inverse to one another. I figured to be different, something could be done where Macaria can actively switch both of her eyes to change from Overworld green to Underworld red and that could have some impact on gameplay such as how she sees the world, switching between the dimensions to get to different areas.

That or she could just have an inverse where one eye is White with a Red iris and the other is Black with a Green iris because genetics are fun like that.

Parental Figure

Zagreus: Nyx

Melinoe: Hecate

Macaria: Helios

As much as I want Hadephone to give at least one of their kids a happy childhood, I think we all know where this is headed. Something will go wrong and Max will end up with a foster parent and according to the pattern, it's minor deities with some role in the story of how Hades "kidnapped" Persephone. Nyx is the river they crossed into when they entered the Underworld and Hecate is the goddess that helped Demeter figure out what was going on.

So, by that logic, I figured the next logical step would be the old retired sun titan that saw the whole thing go down. Of course, I'm not saying Apollo or anyone like him is fit to raise children, but I'd imagine this version of Helios would be more like an older version of him that's a lot more mellow and less likely to rant for two hours about his hit single after you asked him what time was on the sundial. Something more like a chill old man that also had a lot of energy (which is a HUGE help in raising a kid), kind of like Jiraiya from Naruto only he's not a total perv.

Hub/Safe Zone

Zagreus: House of Hades (Castle)

Melinoe: The Crossroads (Camp)

Macaria: The Chariot (Mobile home)

This one's a little tough but I figured if Zag was raised in a permanent structure while Meg was raised in a stationary campsite, maybe Max could grow up in a structure that moves, kinda like a mobile home. And no, Helios' Chariot would definitely not be the same as Chester's place from the Fairly odd Parents. But since he's retired, it would have little power and be more like a dimly lit abandoned mansion creeping slowly on the ground to the tune of the sun's position as if instinctually following an old routine.

Teacher

Zagreus: Achilles (Illiad)

Melinoe: Odysseus (Odyssey)

Macaria: Perseus

Ok, this one was also tough because the Iliad and the Odyssey were the two major Greek mythology works and the other two games already covered them. Meanwhile, Homer's other works cover literally everything else so it wasn't like I could just pick the protagonist from it for Max's teacher.

Why Perseus? Well, while he's not exactly the only Greek hero, he's one of the more iconic ones that strangely haven't been covered yet by the other games. Hercules was in 2, Jason's ship was there by reference, Theseus was a villain in 1 (and for good reason) even though his idiot brother who was into Persephone wasn't (but that could change here, who knows?) I mean, there's also Atalanta but at the same time her story basically goes raised by a bear (badass) kills a boar (also badass) and then gets "tricked" into marriage by a clever dude with Golden apples who stops her competition leaving a bunch of dead suitors in her wake (again, badass)

But I chose Perseus not only because he's iconic enough to stand out (not nearly as Jackson but I digress) but also because his main myth was focused on stealth. He didn't fight Medusa, he snuck her while she was asleep using a magic invisibility helmet (much like Hades' helm!) and chopped her head off. Perfect hero to train a rogue ninja like Max!

Goal

Zagreus: Escape the Underworld by going up

Melinoe: Save the Underworld by going down (and up as a side quest)

Macaria: Explore the Underworld? Spy/Reconnaissance? Go sideways?

So, one thing that Hadephone fickets said that caught my attention was that Macaria was known to help souls escape the underworld without Hades' permission. Not sure if this is mythologically accurate but it does suit her rogue role really well so I'm using it here.

Her goal could be to travel around the Underworld looking for lost souls that want to go back for something in the Overworld (like finding out how they died, leaving a message for a loved one, etc.), taking pity on them, and sneaking them above and then sneaking them back down when the time comes. It shows her mother's compassion and even a little bit of a rebellious side like her brother!

Mini-Bosses

So, what I noticed is the three bosses you have to fight in each run fall under three categories:

Someone close that the MC regularly interacts with in the main hub: Meg and the Furies; Hecate

Rampaging beast that has to be put down: Lernie the Hydra; Cerberus

Annoying egotistical jerk that won't listen to reason: Theseus; Scylla and the Sirens (and Eris)

I won't count the Olympus route in Hades 2 though since that part doesn't seem to be finished yet and I haven't seen the update.

Since Zag did Friend-Beast-Jerk and Mel did Friend-Jerk-Beast, I think Max should do Beast-Jerk-Friend. It would be a nice twist to have her have to fight through a friend before reaching her goal. Also, she could start with Jerk, but it doesn't seem right to put them through a Jerk fight at the beginning of every run since the first boss is the one she has to fight the most and the Jerk has a tendency to be straight up obnoxious and annoying.

Also, since Zag fought a group of familiar friends (except Alecto) and Mel fought a group of jerks (mainly Scylla), I think it would be fitting to have Max fight a group of beasts at the start.

So, I probably would pick these three:

Beasts: Chimera

Ok, before you say it, yes, I know Chimera is one monster. However, both beast bosses were monsters with multiple heads so this one should follow the trend. Plus, it's practically three different monsters because when fighting it, Max would have to fight the Lion head, the Goat head, AND the Snake tail. I figure it's gonna be one of those monsters that just happened to settle near where Max has to lead the souls between the worlds.

Jerk: Cottus the Hecatoncheires

Ok, Zag's jerk was a Greek Hero while Mel's jerk was a Greek Monster, and I was thinking the next logical step would be a minor deity, but then I remembered Eris covered that. Then I thought we could do a Titan instead but Chronos is a titan who was the final boss in 2 so that wouldn't really work either.

However, I remembered that the three main groups tossed into Tartarus during Titanomachy were the furies, the cyclopes, and the Hecatoncheires who weren't even mentioned yet. So let's fix that!

Percy Jackson already used Briaries so even though he's the most famous and was said to be the only one left, I decided to keep the three of them this time and chose Cottus instead because his name either means the Striker or the Furious which definitely sounds like someone who won't listen to reason. Plus neither Theseus nor Scylla worked alone so this sorta follows the trend while also keeping it separate since, again, he has multiple heads, literally a hundred. In fact, he could even be made bipolar or have multiple personalities to reflect this, leaving him prone to extreme mood swings and be hard to reason with.

I imagine he'd be imprisoned around where Max is sneaking souls back in since she logically can't use the same entrance twice or she'd risk getting caught.

Friend: Tom

Yes, you read the name right. This one is interesting because while Zag's friend was a love interest, Mel's friend was her Foster Parent so to follow the trend, we have to pick someone close that they regularly interact with. I was thinking the usual child of Nyx but again, Eris already did that so that's out. (I know, she's even making my work difficult -_-)

Looking at friendly characters, there was usually two love interests (one a child of Nyx), the mentors, and the comic relief friend with a mysterious past (Skelly and Pandora)

So, what bigger twist than to have your comic relief friend be that final boss? The obligation to fight Max could be related to their past and they could still be on good terms with Max back at the hub.

Seeing that Skelly is a skeleton and Dora is a shade, they pretty much cover a dead body and spirit already, leaving just straight up living mortals left. UNLESS we went with something more mechanical.

I was thinking Max could find an abandoned Automaton in the Overworld (perhaps near Hephaestus' workshop), find a way to fix him, and when he activated he has no memory because his microchip or something is missing. For the time being, seeing that he's an auTOMaton, Max decides to call him Tom and he goes with it.

As for the boss fight, I was thinking Tom gets hacked somehow, which explains why he has no idea what Max is talking about when she brings it up. In the first half of the fight, Tom is normal sized and uses a barrage of mechanical weapons, but after getting him down to about half health, Max finds out he can actually change form to become colossal sized and she has to sneak her way into his head to temporarily shut him down. By the time Max gets back to the Chariot, Tom's miraculously back to normal, meaning the hacker can only trigger him at the entrance to the final level. As the game progresses, Tom keeps going back there to find out what's going on, only to get hacked every time and end up in a Re-Zero situation.

Main Villain

Zagreus: Hades

Melinoe: Kronos

Macaria: At first Ouranos, then Gaea

Ok, hear me out: the pattern here is generational. First it was Hades, then it was his dad, so logically, what would come next is his parent's PARENTS.

More importantly, both games have a twist-but-not-such-a-twist in the boss reveals. "OMG, you mean the guy running the underworld DOESN'T just sit at his desk all day?!?" "WHOA, the guy showing himself as a silhouette was the guy in the phrase 'Death to Chronos'?!?" So, I figured I'd complete the chain of iconic Greek myth villains by having Ouranos appear as a puppet for Gaea. "Wait, I thought I was listening to Ouranos hatch a plan to get revenge on the gods, you're telling me it was his ex-wife?!?"

Yup, you read right. The plot would follow that Max would keep sneaking shades to and from the Underworld and whenever you complete a run, Max first overhears someone talking about manipulating the Gods to have them overthrown, talks to Helios who says it sounds like Ouranos trying to get his body back and take back control, only for the later twist to be it's actually Gaea. I know, big surprise, Mother Earth hates the gods. Go figure.

Love Interests

Zag: Meg and Than

Mel: Moros and Nemesis (and Eris, I think?)

Max: Oizys/Miseria and Hermes?!?

Ok, just gonna get the token child of Nyx love interest out of the way and I thought it would be interesting to make it the girl this time. Oizys is a daughter of Nyx who is the goddess of misery (hence Miseria. I imagine she tells Max to call her Miseria because it's easier to pronounce). I figure she'd be introverted and quiet much like Thanatos but in a more awkward and shy way, kind of like Dusa in 1 and Echo in 2. She would be timid especially because some interpretations have her also be the goddess of Anxiety.

The other love interest is usually someone else related to Hades' realm. So, for the guy, my thought is this time it could be Charon...just kidding! No, as tempting as that is because this one was REALLY hard (seriously, I couldn't find any non-Nyx male characters related to Hades' realm and there's nothing online about Max having a canon husband or anything!), Charon is too weird an option as he serves more as an uncle figure for the three of them (ugh, there's a Hadephone joke in there that I don't wanna touch)

I was also considering one of the three kings picked to be the shades, but they're just dead mortals. The others were deities with Meg as the exception but the furies are still a huge part of Hades' gimmick.

Then, I thought of something insane. There is one god that's related to Hades' realm, extroverted (since Miseria's already an introvert), and they even have something in common because he's also the god of stealth.

...ok, before you call HR, hear me out: Hermes. The man's known as a psychopomp which is very similar to what Max does, he's one of the younger deities and doesn't even have a wife, and he's basically the ninja of greek mythos. Ok, maybe he does have his dad's promiscuous nature that makes him unlikely to settle down with anyone, but we're talking dating here, not necessarily marriage.

Look, I couldn't find anyone else to fill the role besides mortals and the man's already got the favor of Max's siblings. I can at least see it working, but I am open to better ideas for guy deities related to Hades' realm.

Boons

Zag: Aphrodite; Ares; Artemis; Athena; Chaos; Demeter; Dionysus; Hermes; Poseidon; Zeus

Mel: OLD - Aphrodite; Ares; Chaos; Demeter; Poseidon; Zeus; NEW - Apollo; Hephaestus; Hera; Hestia;

Max: Chaos; OLD - Artemis; Athena; Demeter; Dionysus; Hermes; NEW - Apolo; Hephaestus; Hera; Hestia; Rhea; BONUS: PERSEPHONE

Lastly, we've gotta have a list of 10 main Gods that they can get boons from. (It's dangerous to go alone, take this!)

First, Chaos is pretty much indispensable. Their boons are the most interesting of all of them because they all have a big help coupled with a big detriment.

Next, we can pretty much cut out all of the old gods used again in 2 because we gotta keep this interesting! Except for Demeter tho, because Grandma. Or, we could also throw in Rhea because she hasn't been mentioned yet either and actually likes her kids so DOUBLE GRANDMA

But, that just means bringing back the rest of the old ones from 1 that got either cut out or side-tracked. And yes, I also suggested Hermes as the love-interest AND am bringing him back as a boon.

Finally, that leaves the four newer gods from 2 to make things fair. But I'm not keeping it all old though, because as an added bonus, I think Persephone should finally be around to give one of her kids a boon. After all, she's more likely than Hades to condone what Max is doing, so of course she's gonna lend her support. I imagine it'll be kind of a cross between the boon Hades gave in 2 and what Demeter has been giving only for grassy spring magic instead of icy winter magic. Something to show her duality as the Goddess of Spring and the Queen of the Underworld.

On that lovely note, that's all I could come up with for now, so reblog with what YOU think should be in Hades 3 if Supergiant decides to make it a trilogy.

[jackalsquad4]

I thought it would be fun to put the team on my save file in Digimon Cyber Sleuth in this headcanon.

What individual relationships does Takumi Aiba have with each of the Digimon on his team. Reguardless of their species nature, all of Takumi’s Digimon care about him greatly and will fight to the death to protect him. They follow him around everywhere in Cyberspace, and begin to do so in the real world after Tokyo gets trapped in a massive Digital Shift.

Grankuwagamon (Formerly Palmon)

BlackWarGreymon

Lilithmon

MetalGarurumon

Ophaniamon 

Durandamon

Gaiomon

Dianamon

Slayerdramon

Darkdramon

Minervamon

Grankuwagamon

Being the first partner, these two are definitely the closest of the group

Has fun going on flights throughout the sky, in the digital space and then again in the real world

It's a bit scary at first flying in the sky, but Takumi got used to it.

...Until other people try shooting them down, in which case they stop. Buzzkills

Has the highest authority of the group, smug about it, will give orders from Takumi to the others

BlackWarGreymon

A little edgy guy, but still friendly towards his Tamer

Acts aloof and standoffish, but is actually just really socially awkward

Takumi tries to help him out when he can, usually along with the other mons

Doesn't tend to get along well with MetalGarurumon - They butt heads a lot. Takumi has to try and separate them. Grankuwagamon does it when he can't

Enjoys being praised for his accomplishments

Lilithmon

Overbearing/Protective Mother Type

Always worrying over Takumi, making sure he's fed, he's alright, etc etc

Does this for the others mons, but is a little more mean to them. In an affectionate way

Also enjoys being praised, even if she didn't do much. Constantly seeking compliments

Doesn't do a lot of work in battles, prefers to just be in backup. Only will fight is asked to by Takumi

MetalGarurumon

The strong, silent type, who also tends to be used as a mount by Takumi

Butts heads with BlackWarGreymon - No one knows why, they just seem to dislike each other. At least he'll listen to Takumi and knows when to stop

Takumi sometimes treats him like a dog - Scritches, scratches, pets, etc - and he pretends he doesn't like it but he kinda does

Likes the feeling of running through the Digital Space and racing across the area

Will race against GranKuwagamon sometimes for fun, and to see who would be the faster 'better' mount/travel

Ophanimon

The other mother of the group

A lot more motherly than Lilithmon is, actually taking care of everyone equally and not just Takumi

Takumi does get special treatment tho. Just a tad bit

People would think that her and Lilithmon butt heads. They don't, they got along really well actually

Also helps Minervamon teach the others

Durandamon

The shining show off of the group

Will always be trying to do some new cool moves or jump in the way of others to get praise from Takumi

Tends to annoy the others a lot, but Takumi thankfully has more patience with them

They like acting all buddy-buddy with the others, in an attempt to apologize to them

Is actually a really good fighter, just has a hard time dealing with being a show off

Gaiomon

The stoic commander of the group, who is usually assisted by Minervamon

Will help give orders and direct others when Takumi can't. Kinda dad vibes

Very stern but kind, gives Takumi rides on his shoulders or patting the boy on his head. Definitely dad vibes

Will treat the others similarly, maybe a bit more sterner. They call him dad to be funny and he doesn't really enjoy it from them

He wouldn't mind if Takumi called him dad though

Dianamon

The excitable sister figure

Always cheerful, always making sure everyone's hyped up and happy

Tends to lift Takumi over her head while cheering, makes it fun for her and him. Mildly terrifies him because she'll do it without warning

Enjoys being in fights, lets her get energy out

Will try to get the others to spar with her, but goes easy on Takumi if he agrees to be her sparring partner

Slayerdramon

The fierce protector. Angry angry bodyguard

People are very intimidated and scared by him, at least at first. He doesn't show kindness to many and doesn't like being approached

Enjoys the spars that Dianamon sets up. Tries not to go to far, but everyone's megas so they let loose a bit

Him and Darkdramon get along well, match each other's energies

Takumi gave him a chance and he took it happily

Darkdramon

The awkward/moody mon, tends to keep to himself unless needed in battle

Glad to Takumi for helping him out of his little problem, being hunted down by some other digimon and tamers

Likes the rest of the group, but has a hard time showing it. The others just think he's kinda rude

Takumi cheers him up the best he can, just holding casual talks and giving him advice

Slayerdramon will join them sometimes and just hang out in the background

Minervamon

The advisor/teacher. Somewhat strict and stern, but well-meaning

Will create plans ahead of battle when she can, helping direct the others along with Gaiomon

Will answer a lot of Takumi's questions on Digimon, the Digital Space, the Digital World, etc. Whatever knowledge she has is his, if he wishes it to be

Help taught the others and trained them, when they had the time. The others claim that they still have the sores and injuries from their training days

She's also given Takumi a training regimen. He... doesn't look forward to it

[jackalsquad4]

Battle Of The Paranormal Investigators!!!

Who would win in a Death Battle Royale between Eli Pepperjack, Dipper Pines, Dib Membrane, and Ronaldo Fryman based on their canonical abilities, weapons, and equipment from their respective series.

[jackalsquad4]

Dennis Dracula: The Lone Fang

In this alternate universe, Dennis's disastrous 5th birthday party became the catalyst for a profound transformation. The tension between Mavis and Drac, the botched monster training, and especially the traumatizing sight of Vlad possessing Kakie the Cake Monster, pushed young Dennis to his breaking point. Overwhelmed and deeply hurt, he fled into the woods, not just for a moment, but for good.

Personality

Ten years of solitude forged a radically different Dennis. The once sweet, innocent, and human-like child is now stoic, independent, and fiercely self-reliant. He possesses a quiet intensity and a profound sense of loneliness that manifests as a distant, almost melancholic demeanor. He rarely smiles and his eyes, though still bright blue, often carry a haunted look.

He's no longer the playful boy who adored Kakie. Instead, he's pragmatic and logical, preferring to analyze situations rather than react emotionally. He has a strong sense of justice, but it's tempered by a cynical worldview, making him wary of others' intentions. He's also incredibly protective of the few things he cares about, which, after a decade alone, are very few indeed. While he possesses immense power, he uses it with precision and purpose, never for show or frivolous reasons. He might appear cold or indifferent, but beneath the hardened exterior lies a deep, unresolved pain from his abandonment.

Backstory

Following the chaotic birthday party, Dennis, then just five years old, ran further and deeper into the Transylvanian woods than anyone could have imagined. His inherent human resilience, combined with a spark of untapped monster potential, allowed him to survive. He found solace in a forgotten, hidden cave system, far from the prying eyes of both monsters and humans.

The first few years were a struggle for survival. He learned to hunt small creatures, scavenge for edible plants, and build crude shelters. The trauma of his family's arguments and the terrifying Kakie incident slowly solidified into a deep-seated belief that he was a burden, a disappointment. He felt like he didn't belong anywhere, neither truly human nor fully monster.

It was during this time, in his solitary struggle, that his dormant vampire abilities began to manifest, not through training, but through sheer necessity and instinct. The need for speed to evade predators, the desperate hunger that forced his fangs to emerge for the first time, the raw fear that made him levitate just enough to escape a fall – these were his teachers. He discovered his supernatural speed and strength, his ability to fly, and even a nascent form of darkness manipulation. This power felt raw and untamed, a stark contrast to the structured training he was supposed to receive.

As he grew, he became acutely aware of his unique nature. He was a dhampir, a hybrid, yet he didn't fit into the "human" world of his father's family, nor the "monster" world of his mother's. He watched from the shadows as years passed, seeing glimpses of Hotel Transylvania, a place he once called home, now a distant memory. He saw his family, seemingly moving on, which only solidified his conviction that he was better off alone.

His perception of his family is complex. He doesn't hate them, but he carries a deep resentment for the way he felt discarded and misunderstood. He believes they were trying to force him into a mold he didn't fit, and that his departure, while painful, was ultimately for the best, as it allowed him to truly discover who he was.

Ten years later, Dennis, now 15, is a powerful, self-made dhampir. He is a master of his abilities, honed by a decade of solitary survival. He wanders the world, a solitary figure, often intervening in situations where he perceives injustice, but always keeping his distance, a silent guardian who believes he doesn't need anyone and that no one truly needs him. He is the ultimate lone wolf, forever carrying the scars of his childhood and the weight of his own unique destiny.

[jackalsquad4]

ALIEN X!

MOTION CARRIED!

That oughta do it for this project for a while : ) thought I’d go out on something fun! See ya’ll in the new year!

[jackalsquad4]

Some HT Mechamorph fellas I thought would be fun to do to show how they vary

[jackalsquad4]

Just moved recently, but I’ve finally got to finishing up Gwen’s Ghostfreak!

[jackalsquad4]

🧪 Character Arcs 101: what they are, what they aren’t, and how to make them hurt

by rin t. (resident chaos scribe of thewriteadviceforwriters)

Okay so here’s the thing. You can give me all the pretty pinterest moodboards and soft trauma playlists in the world, but if your character doesn’t change, I will send them back to the factory.

Let’s talk about character arcs. Not vibes. Not tragic backstory flavoring. Actual. Arcs. (It hurts but we’ll get through it together.)

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💡 what a character arc IS:

a transformational journey (keyword: transformation)

the internal response to external pressure (aka plot consequences)

a shift in worldview, behavior, belief, self-concept

the emotional architecture of your story

the reason we care

💥 what a character arc is NOT:

a sad monologue halfway through act 2

a single cool scene where they yell or cry

a moral they magically learn by the end

a “development” label slapped on a flatline

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✨ THE 3 BASIC FLAVORS OF ARC (and how to emotionally damage your characters accordingly):

Positive Arc They start with a flaw, false belief, or fear that limits them. Through the events of the story (and many Ls), they confront that internal lie, grow, and emerge changed. Hurt factor: Drag them through the mud. Make them fight to believe in themselves. Break their trust, make them doubt. Let them earn their ending.

Negative Arc They begin whole(ish) and devolve. They fail to overcome their flaw or false belief. This arc ends in ruin, corruption, or defeat. Hurt factor: Let them almost have a chance. Build hope. Then show how they sabotage it, or how the world takes it anyway. Twist the knife.

Flat/Static Arc They don’t change, but the world around them does. They hold onto a core truth, and it’s their constancy that drives change in others. Think: mentor, revolutionary, or truth-teller type. Hurt factor: Make the world push back. Make their values cost them something. The tension comes from holding steady in chaos.

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🎯 how to build an arc that actually HITS (no ✨soft lessons✨, just internal structure):

Lie they believe: What false thing do they think about themselves or the world? (“I’m unlovable.” “Power = safety.” “I’m only valuable if I’m useful.”)

Want vs. need: What do they think they want? What do they actually need to grow?

Wound/backstory scar: What made them like this? You don’t need a tragic past™ but you do need cause and effect.

Turning point: What moment forces them to question their worldview? What event cracks the surface?

Moment of choice: Do they change? Or not? What decision seals their arc?

🧪 Pro tip: this is not a worksheet. This is scaffolding. The arc lives in the story, not just your doc notes. The lie isn’t revealed in a monologue, it’s felt through consequences, relationships, mistakes.

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🛠️ things to actually do with this:

Write scenes where the character’s flaw messes things up. Like, they lose something. A person. A plan. Their cool. Make the flaw hurt.

Track their beliefs like a timeline. How do they start? What chips away at it? When does the shift stick?

Use relationships as arc mirrors. Who challenges them? Enables them? Forces reflection? Internal change is almost never solo.

Revisit the lie. Circle back to it at least three times in escalating intensity. Reminder > confrontation > transformation.

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🌊 bonus pain level: REVERSE THE ARC

Wanna make it really hurt? Set them up for one arc, and give them the opposite. They think they’re growing into a better person. But actually, they’re losing themselves. They think they’re spiraling. But they’re really healing. Let them be surprised. Let the reader be surprised.

─────── ✦ ───────

TL;DR: If your plot is a skeleton, your character arc is the nervous system.

The change is the thing. Don’t just dress it up in trauma. Don’t let your character learn nothing. Make them face themselves. And yeah. Make it hurt a little. (Or a lot. I won’t stop you.)

—rin t. // thewriteadviceforwriters // plotting pain professionally since forever

P.S. I made a free mini eBook about the 5 biggest mistakes writers make in the first 10 pages 👀 you can grab it here for FREE:

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Pokémon GO Summer Loading Screen (2020) Illustrator: Saro Orfali

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Concept Art (2021) - Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl ART Book GAME FREAK / The Pokémon Company / ILCA

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Lumiose City map in HD