Yay! I found a link to join the class. Went looking last night (been preoccupied with tornadoes) and couldn't find it to save my life. No way am I going that deeply into a character and exploring them with such an emotional involvement without a safety rope. Re: This post...I get the feeling the nemesis can't be an opponent to your protagonist unless they step on some shadows. Without that, they're just a person or force or power structure that's a nuisance. Close?

Cyd, we'll be digging into this subject area in depth in the class. BTW I've extended the end date by a week to allow everyone to continue workshopping their Nemesis characters. Once again, we have an AMAZING group of writers coming up with incredible feedback. I'm not blowing smoke or making it up. Just some terrific feedback, questions, ideas, observations and brainstorming going on. So glad you could join us! Re Nemesis: A general principle is that they are connected SPECIFICALLY to the Protagonist, not just generic, but some unique identifiable aspects of the Nemesis psyche are related directly to the Protagonist's psychological journey. Darth Vader in Ep IV represents the Dark Side of the Force. Luke Skywalker has that potential within him, to go to the Dark Side. Vader KNOWS this which is why he eventually tries to lure Luke over [as well as the fact Luke is his son]. So Luke's struggle to find the balance between his feelings and the proper use of the Force, not giving in to hatred and anger, is kerplopped right in front of him in the form of Vader. In a way, Vader is the physicalization of Luke's 'shadow' self, whatever instinct he may have to go to the Dark Side. Not to say all Nemesis characters have to fall in line with what we may typically think of the Hero's Journey. Take my favorite movie The Apartment. The Protagonist is Baxter [Jack Lemmon]. What does he want? Success in business! Who is the Nemesis? Sheldrake [Fred MacMurray] who represents the very PEAK of success. So he is a projection of Baxter's want. Unfortunately for Baxter, he may achieve success by letting out his apartment to fellow workers for illicit affairs, then eventually Sheldrake himself, but potentially at the cost of his soul as he is allowing Sheldrake to continue an affair with Kubelik [Shirlery MacLaine] who happens to be Baxter's Attractor. So Sheldrake is not a warrior or a mystic or a witch. He's just a businessman. But he is standing in the way of what Baxter needs: To become a mensch and in the end win the girl. So again, the Nemesis must in all cases have some thematic, symbolic, psychological, all of them connection to the Protagonist and their metamorphosis. More to come in the class, Cyd. See you there!

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[...] Screenwriting Tip: Give your Nemesis a plausible world view (gointothestory.blcklst.com) [...]

[...] Screenwriting Tip: Give Your Nemesis A Plausible World View | Go Into The Story [...]