Screenwriting : Character Arc? by Tony Lewis

An average, unskilled guy infiltrating a criminal underworld to save someone he loves. That's going to be TOUGH, Tony Lewis! I can't wait to watch it!

From the concept, I think a positive arc would work better. The only way I see a negative arc working is if he has a major flaw that leads him down a bad path while he's trying to save the person he loves. Him becoming the bad guy is interesting, but I think it clashes with his mission to save the person.

Think it’s okay to be multi dimensional, he can be led astray by a criminal environment, face temptation or become a vigilante with no mercy & still save the day. The bad arc can be reversed if he does something to redeem himself before the story reaches a climax. Overcoming a prior major flaw, performing the ultimate sacrifice, finding a strength he never knew he had etc are a few ideas.

Maybe he is both at once and THAT would be a challenge. Does he have a split personality? Try that.

If it's a TV series (emphasis on the series), you technically have time to explore both angles. He could infiltrate and go down the wrong path before he saves the day. Or maybe the wrong path isn't a choice of his own--he's forced to act in ways he wouldn't because of his mission. What is he willing to do to save someone he loves? I like the idea of a positive arc to end it all. At the same time, his actions throughout the series might be morally ambiguous.

positive Arc.

It could also be something in between. I personally like it when characters are neither bad or good but grey. In order to save his special someone his arc could turn into something bittersweet?

That's just the suggestion I just got.

(Warning: The following statement is rated TRIPLE_X)

A positive art, sorry, arc, transforms into a negative arc, with full consequences, and no chance of Redemption.

You can start with the character struggling to be good. It would be nice if he managed to stay strong despite all the negativity. The character is considered a really good person. However, as he gets deeper into this world, he can't resist the things he experiences. He starts to have internal conflicts. For a while, he can be shown as neither a good nor a bad person. Then he turns to the dark side. During this process, you can show the factors that push him to this path, such as social collapse, legal collapse, psychological collapse. Injustice and the destruction of society brought that man to this state. You can use the sense of empathy when he is good.

Looks Amazing Tony Lewis

I like the above comment of split personality but that might change your entire premise as it’s an idea in itself.

everyone here’s mutual friend Walter white ended up destroying his family. what if your protagonist had to have a negative arc to save his?

I guess I should have assumed what I said below was your plan. lol.

I saw a similar movie recently that was pretty good imvho called “Shot Caller”. could spark ideas or help you avoid what they did.

he was a normal guy who got a bit to drink and ran a red light ending up in big boy prison. I liked it.

Hi Tony,

Love the premise — the “ordinary man forced into the underworld” setup always has fantastic psychological potential. You’ve got the perfect launchpad for either a redemptive rise or a terrifying descent… and both could work brilliantly, depending on the tone you're aiming for.

That said, I’m personally a fan of letting the story reveal the arc. If the pilot’s already whispering (or shouting), “This guy’s about to get dark,” it might be wise to listen. Some of the most compelling characters are the ones who think they’re doing it for love... right up until they’re doing it for power.

But here's a cheeky thought: Why not start him on a positive arc and let it rot halfway through? Let him save the day, but at a cost so steep, he slowly becomes what he swore to destroy. That way, you hook the audience emotionally before twisting the knife.

Like baking a cake and then setting it on fire. Delicious and disturbing.

Go where it feels most alive — the audience will feel it too.

Linda Corby

what about: she’s the kind of woman who prays before every meal, volunteers at church, and believes in second chances — not vengeance. But when her loved one is kidnapped by a syndicate, faith alone isn’t enough.

Forced to seduce the very men who shattered her world, she learns to lie, to kill, and to play the game by their rules. Every step deeper into this world saves her sister — but destroys a piece of her. As she claws her way to the truth, the line between right and wrong blurs until it vanishes completely.

Because to save a life… she had to bury her own.