Many times, when writing a script or a novel, you might consider the task of creating strong secondary characters for granted. That is, you have created a unique and interesting Sci-Fi world or main character that drives the action in your novel or screenplay.

This drives the main character to overcome major obstacles and emotional challenges in order to achieve their goal by the end of the movie or novel. Their “Need” or “Desire” to achieve their goal is paramount to achieving a satisfactory conclusion of the story.

However interesting the main character might be, he or she is not friendless. They don’t exist in a vacuum; they need secondary or supporting characters to react to their problems and provide opposition or emotional support. Many times, the secondary characters will have issues or struggles of their own that will create subplots that will affect the main character.

The supporting character’s subplot is often crucial to the emotional struggle or development of your main character. They may sharpen the conflict and provide challenges for the main character on the way to the resolution to the story. It will provide numerous moments of internal reflection and an emotional pathway forward for your main character .

In the classic movie Officer and a Gentlemen, Zack earns the friendship of Sid, another trainee at the base. Sid’s struggle and eventual suicide at the end of the movie propels Zack to transform from being the selfish loner that he was at the beginning of the movie. He has learned the value of teamwork and learns that he needs other people’s friendship and love to survive.

Subplots are not the main plot of the movie or novel, but they add to your story. The main character needs allies or friends who support or conflict with the main character. They must have adversaries with their own issues to resolve or plot to thwart the main characters goals.Their purpose is to interact in a way that creates challengers and push ahead to resolve the story.

In addition, secondary characters enrich the plot of your story. A well-developed supporting character will have their own fleshed out story that intersects with the main character.

For example, in my novel Turbulence, my main character Danny Watkins is the student advisor in a dorm filled with college freshmen. One of the students is Barry Lipkin. He is ambitious and politically aware. He wants to be a leader in the protest movement and constantly barrages Danny with radical literature. His innocent invitation to a dinner party held by Bennett Andrews, leader of the student protest, leads to events that help Danny evolve and change his political views. Bennett Andrews developed from a one-dimensional speech maker at the student protest to a multi – level caring guy who befriends Danny. He befriends Danny at crucial moments in the story and helps Danny grow as a character.

Thus, secondary characters help the main character see multiple perspective in the world. It helps them with their struggles and help develop them as characters. They also provide multiple viewpoints to influence the main character and provide different paths for development within the main story.