thread: 2006-10-02 : Conflict resolution sans stakes
On 2006-10-03, sammy wrote:
I actually like the idea of de-protagonization, or whatever you want to call it. It's not something that you can do regularly because it because fatiguing, but if you're looking to sucker punch a player - and let's face it, some of us live to be sucker-punched - pulling the old, "Hey, guess what? This story? It isn't even about you," can be a great way to do it.
12 Monkeys explores this a bit. Willis' character is a nobody when he's sent back in time, and dies a failure. We're smacked around because we realize that noone, not even his handlers (the "scientists") have any clue what they're doing. He's the protagonist, but one steeped in pathos, and there's noone there to pick up the ball and run with it when he goes down.
Another one is Unbreakable. Willis' gets to be the protagonist again, but the twist ending destroys his sense of agency.
So I guess maybe I'm substituting agency for being the protagonist.
It's late. I'd have a better handle on this if I were rested. I'll try again tomorrow.
