I like to start off this part of analysis by identifying four major plot points: The Opening, end of Act One, end of Act Two, the Final Struggle. So here’s my take on the script: The Opening: PP. 1-6 establishing Hanna, Eric, where they live and Hanna's training. Act One end: PP. 27-33 in which Hanna escapes from incarceration, setting up the chase narrative of the second act. Act Two end: PP. 80-90 wherein Hanna escapes Marissa's men, heads to Berlin, her brief respite with the hippie family gone, and her plan given away by the boy miles. Final Struggle: PP. 105-117 Hanna vs. Marissa. A few notes: * The Call To Adventure midpoint of Act One is a nice reversal. Normally it's some dynamic or event from OUTSIDE the life of the Protagonist intervening into their existence, previously unknown to them. Here Hanna LITERALLY creates the Call by turning on the homing device. * Interesting to note the use of specific geographical areas as related to sequences (I hope someone takes that up in the third post in the series). There are the Finnish hinterlands; the facility where Hanna is held by Marissa and from which she escapes; the Moroccan desert; the hotel; the long set of sequences with the hippie family; France; Berlin; back to Finland. * Indeed in classic Hero's Journey fashion, the story is a circle with Hanna returning home in the end, a transformed individual (more on that in Day 4). * As with almost all stories, there are parallel narratives, in this case Erik, Marissa, and Hanna's pursuers, each one at times acting as cutaway subplots. Hanna is another example of a narrative that tracks a familiar structure, yet feels fresh and distinctive due to the story conceit (girl trained to be an assassin), the characters, and our emotional connection to and support of Hanna. Now that I think about it, Lucy follows a similar chase narrative, also a female lead. Hm...

Could Act One end be interpreted as p. 21, when "Erik gives Hanna instructions about what to do after she presumably kills Marissa, then leaves the cabin"? During that scene, as Erik leaves, Hanna calls out after him -- "Papa". Couldn't that be the threshold guardians/her feelings telling her that she's not ready to grow up yet? But then, reassuring her, Erik tells her, "Remember what I’ve taught you. You’ll be fine." With him now gone, doesn't that cross the threshold to begin the second act? I also had a different act break for Act two. I was thinking it could be p. 101, when Erik tells her the truth. These lines kinda echo what I had at the act one break: Erik: I tried to prepare you for what your life would be. Hanna: You didn’t prepare me for this. She feels betrayed by her father, and she thinks she could be an abnormal person, a super human soldier without real feelings; yet through her act two journey, she experienced "a growing up" and bonded with the family, and Hanna does have real feelings for her Dad. Seems like she's torn up inside and feels lost and in despair.

Here's my try from the pov of Marissa: Back story -- Marrisa and Erik (and Issac?) get women from abortion clinics for the super soldier program -- Joanna thought she disappointed her mother; went to have an abortion; thought Erik and Marissa were a couple adopting her baby -- After Marrisa terminates the program, Erik helps Hanna and Jonanna escape -- Joanna killed; Erik raises Hanna Inciting Incident: Locator beacon activated; learns Hanna is being held. End of Act one (not sure about this one either): (1.) p. 34-36 -- the FB sequence and burning the GALINKA file Goal: finish the job of killing Hanna End of Act two: she kills Erik. Climax: her death

jem, as noted previously, plot points, act breaks, they are artifices. The story itself should come across as an organic entity. We use these artifices as means to analyze stories, and when writing them, to craft them. My view of the Act I end is that everything you need to know about the story has been set up. The fact the movie is fundamentally a chase story requires Hanna to escape to set the chase into motion. Hence my choice for Act I end. Likewise Act II end is often a major reversal. When Hanna is forced away from the hippie family and heads of to Berlin, followed by the betrayal via the hippie's son meaning the Bad Guys will intersect with Hanna in Germany, that is a major shift from the previous sequence -- Hanna exploring friendship, even potential sexual awakening -- and sets up for the Act III final chase and struggle. The revelation from her father is a big deal, but it's essentially exposition that has an internal impact on Hanna. While that type of thing can be a plot point, this exercise today is about surfacing Major Plot Points. Most often, those involve events that transpire in the External World. This is especially true of an action movie. In my view, Act I end: Hanna escapes. Act II end: Hanna forced to flee. Both active, visceral and visual events that spin the plot in a different direction. But again, there's no right or wrong, these are artificial designations for analytical purposes.

This is excellent, jem. In my workshops, I always put writers through the paces with a great exercise: Switch Protagonists. This is especially enlightening when it comes to Nemesis / Antagonist figures. How much more likely are we to develop some sense of understanding, even sympathy for the Bad Guys than by seeing the world through their eyes. Your note about killing Erik is a big one in terms Marissa's story: Now there is only Hanna left. Thanks for your questions and observations.