Writing Redemption Stories

[Story_Marc]

Tackled this due to a request for help, and I framed it around this topic for the YouTube game. Regardless, my foundation for writing redemption stories given in this and so on. Hope it helps out!

 

[FieryLou]

why tf does your video get ai translated into my language?

 

[Sylver]

It's like a quasi-redemption. Realistically if he survived, he would have a lot to answer for. But his death fits for convenience of the story and is a good send off for his character arc.
This is why it gets tricky when villains are redeemed AND survive the consequences of their actions with a pardon. The real world doesn't work that way, and it's asking for a lot when it's done in fictional stories as well.
Of course, this means taking into account their accountability and the scale of their involvement. If they weren't directly responsible for major events, then there lies an argument that they can be pardoned. But for characters like Darth Vader, enforcers and trained killers/dictators, then yea it would fit the narrative best if his redemption concludes with them giving their lives for the protagonist(s).

 

[Author_Riceball]

Tackled this due to a request for help, and I framed it around this topic for the YouTube game. Regardless, my foundation for writing redemption stories given in this and so on. Hope it helps out!

Not everyone needs to be redeemed or understood lol

 

[Story_Marc]

Not everyone needs to be redeemed or understood lol

I agree! It's why I never said they do. Just how to best do it if you DO want to do it.

why tf does your video get ai translated into my language?

It did? Fascinating! YouTube did it automatically.

It's like a quasi-redemption. Realistically if he survived, he would have a lot to answer for. But his death fits for convenience of the story and is a good send off for his character arc.
This is why it gets tricky when villains are redeemed AND survive the consequences of their actions with a pardon. The real world doesn't work that way, and it's asking for a lot when it's done in fictional stories as well.
Of course, this means taking into account their accountability and the scale of their involvement. If they weren't directly responsible for major events, then there lies an argument that they can be pardoned. But for characters like Darth Vader, enforcers and trained killers/dictators, then yea it would fit the narrative best if his redemption concludes with them giving their lives for the protagonist(s).

Yes, he would have a lot to answer for. Hence my comments on why it doesn't work as well as true redemption stories, though I do think it can work for other things.

Unless we talk about it from a metaphorical sense, which... is a whole thing I avoid. XD But yeah, that's why I speak about narrative optimization instead of metaphorical debates. And why I do feel Vader being redeemed is debated and so on.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

It could have been a redemption arc if it hadn't been so abrupt. Instead, it's just him being a fickle little SOB, like he always was, always being the right hand to the true power (Qui-Gon first, then Obi-Wan, then The Emperor, then he tried to make Luke his second, and when that failed, he slipped back into the familiar role of second place thug, turning on his old master to protect he new one - and die in his arms).
If you ever want a case study in both good AND bad Redemption Arcs check out the old ABC/Disney series "Once Upon a Time" - Regina's arc is mostly natural and fitting. Gold... rides a seesaw of redemption/fail/redemption/fail/oh what the heck, let's just redeem his sorry butt ... but the show really only allows two or three villains to be irredeemable, whether they deserve it or not.