In the previous article, we discussed character development. How characters grow from bad to good and vice versa, making a story interesting. But what if a static character can be just as interesting as a dynamic character?
To be clear, a static character does not undergo any significant growth in terms of personality, moral code, or attitudes.
You can make a character stay bad or stay good in the entire story. We’ll show you how. As examples, we will discuss Thanos from Avengers: Infinity War as the character that stays bad and Spider-Man from Spider-Man: No Way Home as the character that stays good.
STEP 1: ESTABLISHING FALSE BELIEF
As discussed before, establishing false beliefs requires a character to undergo a traumatic experience that influences their judgment, personality, and the cause of their fight throughout the story
In Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos reveals that his entire species went extinct because of their finite resources. As the famine got worse, Thanos proposed a solution; purging half of his people. His idea was rejected and his homeworld was gone. Here, Thanos’ false belief is established: “Resources are finite. Half of the universe must be sacrificed to save the other half, creating balance”, which makes him a genocidal tyrant (bad).
Meanwhile, Spider-Man’s origin needs no introduction. The death of his uncle taught him the consequences of his selfishness when he tried to win money in the wrestling match with his superpower. That fateful night, Spidey learned with great power, comes great responsibility. Here, his false belief is established: “His responsibility is to save everyone no matter what”. Which makes him a noble superhero (good).
Spider-Man even goes as far as fighting Doctor Strange in Spider-Man: No Way Home because he refuses to let the villains die in their own universe. Spider-Man is so determined in finding cure for his enemies before returning them to their own universes.
STEP 2: REJECTING NEW BELIEF
Static characters will eventually have a chance to reconsider that they have been making wrong judgment because of their trauma. However, unlike dynamic characters, they reject the reconsideration and stand firm in their own belief.
For example, in Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos and Gamora end up in Vormir, trying to retrieve the Soul Stone. Thanos learns that he must sacrifice the person he loves the most to retrieve it. This seems like an ideal moment for Thanos to have character growth. He should learn that sacrificing lives is not worth achieving his idea of ‘balance’. However, Thanos rejects this new belief. He sacrifices Gamora and gets the Soul Stone.
Meanwhile, in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Spider-Man ends up in a situation where the villains he is trying to help betray him. Green Goblin influences other villains to fight against Spidey, which results in Aunt May dying. This seems like an ideal moment for Spider-Man to have character growth. He should learn that not all people are worth saving. Some villains deserve deathly consequences for their crimes. However, Spider-Man rejects this belief. He still works on the cure for the villains before sending them back to their respective universes to prevent their deaths.
STEP 3: HOLDING ON TO FALSE BELIEF
Here is the part where static characters stay bad or good, for the rest of their stories. Or, to make it more interesting, make them even worse or better.
In Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos still executes his mission after sacrificing Gamora. He retrieves the Time Stone and the Mind Stone to decimate half of the population, achieving ‘balance’ in his own image. Throughout the story, Thanos’ status as a genocidal tyrant remains. He stays bad.
Meanwhile, in Spider-Man: No Way Home, after curing the villains and returning them to their respective universes, he is still the noble superhero who refuses to kill. Even when the entire world forgets him and he loses all of his parental figures, he stays good.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the notion of character development often prioritizes transformation, yet static characters can be equally compelling. By exploring the concept of ‘undeveloping’ characters, we’ve examined how individuals like Thanos and Spider-Man maintain their core beliefs despite pivotal moments that challenge them. In doing so, they remain steadfast in their convictions, whether for good or ill. This exploration underscores the richness of storytelling, demonstrating that character complexity doesn’t always necessitate change; rather, it can thrive within the unyielding resolve of static personas, offering a different, yet equally engaging narrative dynamic.
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