The Become ARC
The Become Arc is the “coming of age” arc, where someone good and innocent grows up, leaves home, goes from childhood to teenager, or from youth to adulthood. The PROT is usually pure and innocent, and in their trials, tested, but through courage, bravery, or whatever positive traits we admire or aspire to, they remain “good”, but has had their innocence dashed. Characters like Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker, Buddha, Jesus in the desert. If there was a Tarot card, it would be the Fool.
PROT can start out in a “good place” (sleepy village) and is through whatever reason, thrown into the “real world” where they see what it’s really like out there. Or some other metaphor for whatever adulthood is in your story. PROT can also start out in a “bad place” (corrupted, broken world), and despite all this and adults telling them they need to compromise, break their integrity, in order to “survive” in the world (often an excuse to protect them), they go about being “good and innocent”, sticking to – again, whatever values we put on a pedestal – and they beat the odds. The underdog who succeeds.
This seems like a POSITIVE ARC, but is actually in fact, a FLAT ARC where their stubbornness to “be good” prevails despite of the world. Yes, they “grow up”, lose their childhood innocence and can’t return to the Shire, but their character is inherently good and doesn’t “change”. If they were asked if they could do it again knowing what they know now, they’d still go on the quest to fight evil.
The Emotional Arc
- STS: My life is so boring! I wish there was more to it! I want to explore!
- DSR: [invite/porta] Hell yeah, this is my ticket outta here!!
- BWO: OMG. This place is uh-MAZ-ing! Look at that! Look at that! So awesome…
- PNR: oh. It’s not all magical. The world’s a lot more complex than I thought.
- AIL: Things just got super serious. I need to step up my game. I need to fight for this.
- CMX: I will do whatever it takes to defend my new friends/home/family. I’m willing to sacrifice.
alt. CMX: PROT crumples and retreats. They don’t grow up.
The Stakes
- Not going after your dreams.
- Never finding out what it’s like out there.
- Never finding out how far you can go.
- Never finding out how good you really are.
- Not seizing opportunities
- Not going after the girl/guy
- Living a life of regret and routine
The Triangle(s)
- PROT: The Fool
- Mentor(s)
- Rival(s)
- ANTG: Usually a mirror of PROT who had the same invite/portal DSR, but made the wrong decisions. Gollum, Tom Riddle, Darth Vader.
Media
Film & TV
Novels & Literature
- Lord of the Rings (1954-1955)