Character types
The central character whose objective drives the narrative forward.
protagonist
A character built around a single trait or idea.
flat character
Everything that happened to the character before the story begins.
backstory
The trajectory of internal change a character undergoes across the narrative.
character arc
The character or force that opposes the protagonist's goal.
antagonist
A protagonist who lacks traditional heroic qualities such as courage or selflessness.
antihero
A character who undergoes significant internal change over the course of the narrative.
dynamic character
The internal or external force driving a character's actions and decisions.
motivation
The process by which a character is gradually revealed or deepened throughout the story.
character development
A character with significant presence but subordinate to the lead in narrative importance.
supporting character
An ordinary, unremarkable character the audience identifies with because of their ordinariness.
everyman
A psychologically complex character capable of surprising the audience in a convincing way.
round character
A psychological or moral struggle within the character, between competing desires or beliefs.
inner conflict
A fundamental shift in a character's identity, beliefs, or behaviour — the visible result of the arc.
transformation
A character designed to contrast with another, highlighting their traits through difference.
character foil
A character included to give the appearance of diversity without meaningful narrative function.
token character
The presence of contradictory traits, desires, or behaviours within a single character.
complexity
A psychological, moral, or behavioural weakness that creates internal conflict and drives the arc.
character flaw
The gradual, often subtle process of change within a character — less dramatic than transformation, more incremental.
evolution
A non-human source of opposition such as society, nature, technology, or time.
antagonistic force
An antagonist whose motivations are sympathetic or partly justified — you understand why they do what they do, even if you disagree.
antivillain
A character who remains fundamentally unchanged but still serves a crucial narrative function — as a moral anchor or thematic constant.
static character
Specific events or encounters that activate or shift a character's motivation mid-story.
motivational triggers
The moment where a character's internal journey reaches its conclusion — they either overcome their flaw or succumb to it.
arc resolution
A moment that exposes a character's true nature to the audience — not what they say they are, but what they really are.
character revelation