The Mature ARC

The Mature Arc is where the PROT reaches a new life stage but is not willing to move on yet. New life stages could be breakup/divorce, new adulthood responsibilities, new job/house, marriage, pregnancy, empty nest, death, being asked to “step down” from power. It’s stagnancy. Unlike ARC: Become, wherein PROT willingly (or just needs a little nudge) to move forward, the Mature ARC is a story about resistance to the point where, if an escape hatch is offered, they will take it.

These stories are usually about “one last trip”, a feat to “prove oneself”, or a metamorphosis story where thru magic/science they get to keep their life stagnant, or do the things they always wanted to do but never got to because life got away from them. It’s the sad realization that some things were meant to be done in your 20s, 30s, whatever… and trying to do it, refusing to move on, is actually toxic and hurts the people you love. In other words, yes, there are some things in life where it can be too late to do.

This is a POSITIVE ARC if after all PROT’s hijinks and histrionics, they learn to move on. Otherwise, it’s a NEGATIVE ARC where characters stay horrible.

The Emotional Arc

alt. CMX: PROT stays in their transformed state, runs away forever. Never moves on.

The Stakes

The Triangle(s)

Media

Film & TV

Novels & Literature

Short Stories

Comic Runs/Arcs

All ARCs here