Bring the pain!
One of the many things I remember Robert Mckee talking about in his screenwriting workshop was making life hard for the protagonist. In the high-octane world of the current action cinema landscape, this mantra is in full effect.
Indiana Jones is the modern-era OG, but protags like Ethan Hunt and John Wick stand out not just for charisma and tactic-cool but for how they take a beat down. This scribbling strategy is critical to making larger-than-life characters relatable and keeping audiences rooting for their triumph.
One of the most effective ways to humanize a protagonist, especially one highly skilled or nearly superhuman, is to show them struggling and in pain.
When Indy is bruised, out of breath, and escaping traps by a whisker, or John Wick is getting hit by cars and bouncing off fire escapes, it shows us that despite being extraordinary, these heroes are not invincible.
Every time one of these protags suffers a reversal, gets injured, or is embarrassed by a flirt gone wrong, it makes them more relatable. Pain gets the audience invested in the journey of our heroes.
We root for Ethan Hunt not just because he’s a skilled agent but because we see his plans going awry, feel his desperation, and share in his vulnerable moments. He fails in every set piece. Literally, Ethan’s every mission is impossible.
Injuries and physical beat-downs are not the only tools to make life hard for your hero. Emotional and psychological setbacks can be just as effective. A betrayal by a trusted ally, a plan gone wrong, or a moral dilemma that haunts the character are powerful ways to add depth and complexity to our thick-skinned archetypes.
The key is in the balance. While these folks are Baba Yaga Badasses and Cassanova Cool, the obstacles they face make them more engaging and worth rooting for. Even Tony Stark, Lara Croft, and Aragorn have their limits, bad days, and failures.
These challenges make them more endearing, and their eventual triumphs all the more satisfying.
Scribblers can rely on this technique because it resembles a fundamental human experience. By making life difficult, the story resonates with the audience's experiences of overcoming challenges.
Maybe we’re not leaping over spike pits, fighting a hundred gun-toting bad guys, or jumping a motorcycle off a cliff. Still, it’s a reminder that despite overwhelming odds, victory demands perseverance, resilience, and a dash of “Go for it!”
So, as you script your next action epic or underdog rom-com, remember that a protag’s strength is not just in their physical prowess or cleverness but how they handle the pain of defeat. Throw obstacles in their path and let them struggle.
Seeing how fast they get up, shake it off, and get back in the game can be even more rewarding than watching them dish out a full clip of “Gun-fu.”
