Protagonist, Plot armor and Plot inconsistency
The protagonist is a fundamental character in storytelling, and their role is essential in driving the narrative forward. They are the primary focus of the story, and much of the plot centers around their actions, decisions, and development. The protagonist is usually the character with whom the reader is meant to empathize and connect emotionally. Their journey, struggles, and growth serve as the primary vehicle for the audience to engage with the story and its themes.
Here are some key points to consider in understanding the role of the protagonist in storytelling:
Central Character: The protagonist is often at the center of the narrative, with most events and conflicts revolving around them. They are typically introduced early in the story and are present throughout most, if not all, of its duration.
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Goals and Motivations: The protagonist usually has specific goals, desires, or ambitions that they strive to achieve. These objectives drive their actions and decisions, leading them on a journey to overcome challenges and obstacles in pursuit of their aspirations.
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[Not all Protagonist even know their role ex: the MC wants a peaceful and lazy life, this is their goal, but events force them to take action in which they will complain in the story about wanting their peaceful life]
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Character Arc: A well-crafted protagonist undergoes significant development and growth throughout the story. This character arc allows them to evolve, learn from their experiences, and change in response to the challenges they face.
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.[This is not usually present in fanfic where the protagonist is overpowered or godlike these characters are 1-dimensional or 2-dimensional
The term one-dimensional character in a story refers to a character who lacks depth and who never seems to learn or grow. When a character is one-dimensional, he or she does not demonstrate a sense of learning in the course of a story.
A person or story that is two-dimensional is too simple, showing little deep, serious thought, or understanding: I didn't believe in any of the characters in the story - they were somehow two-dimensional]
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Complexity: Successful protagonists are multi-dimensional characters with depth and complexity. They may have strengths, weaknesses, flaws, and internal conflicts that make them relatable and human.
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[These types of characters are referred to as 3-dimensional characters Three-dimensional characters are complex and unique, with fully developed fictional lives. This makes them seem like real people. And the more real the character seems, the more the readers will identify with them and care about what happens to them.
You can usually tell the story is good when you start to care about the character, and they seem realistic to you a good writer will make characters with depth of their own motivations and feelings, unlike some who follow the MC like sheep]
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Relationships: The protagonist's interactions with other characters, including friends, allies, mentors, and antagonists, contribute to their growth and the advancement of the plot. These relationships often shape the protagonist's decisions and actions.
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[Normally in fanfic the relationship aspects of the story are not given enough time to develop, in some stories it feels like it was rushed or done for the sake of doing. Note- I myself do not read romance stories too much, so I cannot judge them.
In stories, the trop of a harem is present in which the male character will be engaged in romantic relationships with various women, these stories use the female character to satisfy the reader's desire where they want the MC to have multiple partners.
Another smaller-scale relationship called A throuple is a relationship between three people who have all unanimously agreed to be in a romantic, loving, relationship together with the consent of all people involved.
This type of relationship tries to give the best of both worlds as they don't have numerous female characters to develop, only two main love interests, Note - These types of stories are generally interesting to read, but this is my preference]
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{Plot Armor}
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Plot armor, from a storytelling perspective, can sometimes be perceived as a way that writers use to protect their main character (MC) from harm or challenging situations. It might seem like the writers don't have a way to realistically challenge or endanger the MC because they are unwilling to put them in real jeopardy or allow them to experience significant consequences for their actions.
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[Example: In a fantasy adventure story, the main character (MC) is a skilled warrior who faces numerous perilous encounters throughout the narrative, like near-death scenarios. However, due to plot armor, the MC always manages to escape unscathed, even from seemingly impossible situations.
Without plot armor: The MC's actions and decisions would have real consequences, and they might suffer injuries, lose allies, or face setbacks in their journey. The story would become more unpredictable and intense as MC's fate can result in permanent death.]
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When a character has plot armor, it can create a sense of predictability in the narrative, as the readers become aware that the MC will always come out of dangerous situations unscathed. This predictability can reduce tension and excitement, making it feel like there are no real stakes for the MC.
However, it's important to note that plot armor is not always a deliberate choice by writers to shield their characters entirely. In some cases, it may result from the desire to maintain the popularity of a beloved character or the fear of alienating the audience by making significant changes to the character's fate.
The challenge for writers lies in striking a balance between protecting the main character's importance and maintaining a sense of realism and tension in the story. It involves finding creative ways to challenge the MC, putting them in difficult situations that test their abilities and resolve, while still providing them with a plausible path to survival or victory. When done well, it allows the audience to emotionally invest in the character's journey and creates a more engaging and satisfying narrative.
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{There is not much I can tell you about plot armor than you already know as it will be near useless information, keep in mind the more like and famous the character is the more plot armor they will have [ Ex: Batman ] }
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{Plot inconsistency}
Plot inconsistencies can occur in any type of fanfiction, including long-type fanfics and gamer fanfics. Let's explore how they might manifest in each of these genres:
Long-Type Fanfic: In long-type fanfics, which often have complex and extended story arcs, plot inconsistencies can arise due to the sheer volume of content and the multiple threads woven throughout the narrative. Some common examples of plot inconsistencies in long-type fanfics are:
a) Character Development: Characters may exhibit sudden changes in personality or behavior without sufficient explanation or development, disrupting the continuity of their arcs.
[Ex: A character who is compassionate and optimistic, suddenly deciding that killing might be the only answer without trying to find other solutions first]
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b) Timeline Discrepancies: Events may not align chronologically, leading to confusion about the sequence of actions and their consequences.
[Ex: Harry Potter fighting the troll in year 2 rather than year 1 or Goku becoming super sayin after Namek]
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c) Unresolved Storylines: Subplots or storylines introduced earlier may be forgotten or left unresolved, leaving loose ends and questions for the readers.
[Ex: MC gains a letter telling him some intel, but it's never told who left the letter there]
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d) Deus ex Machina: A sudden, improbable resolution to a significant conflict or problem that comes out of nowhere, without proper foreshadowing or explanation.
[ No explanation needed ]
e) Contradicting Established Canon: The fanfic may deviate from the canon material or the established rules of the fandom, leading to inconsistencies between the original source material and the fanfic's narrative.
[Established cannon system, yet MC does not follow the said magic system, creating contradiction to the established system, deviation from canon is OK since the appearance of MC in the story changes things but without explanation, it will be unrealistic.
To further explain this point, take this ex: MC saves the hero character C who was destined to die now that Character C is alive it can save other heroes or civilians who would be dead without him the butterfly effect is in full motion]
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Gamer Fanfic: Gamer fanfics are stories where characters possess abilities or mechanics similar to those found in video games. Common plot inconsistencies in gamer fanfics include:
a) Power Creep: The protagonist's abilities grow rapidly and without logical progression, becoming overly powerful in a short amount of time.
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b) Arbitrary Rules: The mechanics of the "game world" in the fanfic may change without explanation or consistency, making it difficult for readers to understand the established rules.
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[Common among this is the system update which changes abilities that were established to do [%] amount of dmg now have an additional effect yet lower dmg output]
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c) Lack of Challenge: The protagonist might face little to no real challenges or obstacles, due to overpowered abilities or contrived circumstances, leading to a lack of tension and excitement.
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[Ex: The skill creation ability where the mc can create skills without having the needed skills to create said ability]
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d) Game Mechanic Contradictions: The fanfic might introduce new game mechanics or systems that directly contradict previously established ones, creating confusion and undermining the coherence of the story.
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[Same as System update like changing stats from being numerical to alphabetical it breaks the established system now readers need to learn how the alphabetical ranking system judges strength and threat level if no explanation is given it is detrimental to a story]
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e) Inconsistent Consequences: Actions and decisions made by the protagonist may have inconsistent outcomes or consequences, making it difficult for readers to anticipate the results of their choices.
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[Ex: MC does action 1 the after-effects of this action might not happen or are ignored]
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{Do what you will with this you have my permission}
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{I have not written in some time so there might be grammar errors you have been warned}