All of my own stories are completely character-driven. At some point, they always feel to me like real people, so this is a topic very close to my heart. Even for fictional, whimsical characters, people need to be able to understand their thoughts, feelings and motives or everything that comes from them will be a nonsensical hodgepodge of "Wait, WTF? Why?!" As stories develop, just like life, so must our characters evolve. Sometimes they grow and become better people. Sometimes... not.
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| Breaking Bad's Walter White goes good to bad in 6 steps |
In honor of AMC's hit show Breaking Bad's imminent return and much-awaited conclusion, there is no better contemporary example of extraordinary character development than BrBa's Walter White. Throughout the course of the series, Walt completely transforms and, even more impressive, the transformation is completely understandable. BrBa writers turn Walt from hero to villain in one fluid motion. Turning a character's morality can be one of the most difficult--and the most gripping--transitions in the story. However, by adhering to a few simple rules, this flawless metamorphoses can be replicated. In this case, we're turning a good guy bad, but the reverse can be done through the same principles in opposite.
WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!!!
1. Set-up: Just a Suburban Science Teacher
The introduction to BrBa dutifully builds a picturesque family platform of a somewhat shy, mostly rule-abiding science teacher on fragile stilts of responsibility, under-utilization and powerlessness--so it can come crashing down. To give our dark-side transformation any resonance, we first have to establish the character is, more or less, a good person. Usually, it's enough to make them like you or me. Walter loves his wife and son and does his level best to provide for them. He's an exuberant teacher, probably reminding most of us of our own science teachers. This set-up not only gives us the first "good" impression, but also sets the stage for the second principle...
2. Belief System: A Man Provides
Even villains have beliefs. To make a good guy turn bad in a sensible way, there has to be some set points to angle around; a few things they have to uphold. This solidifies the character's life; without it, they risk being portrayed as wishy-washy, apathetic or, worst, nonsensical. The concrete beliefs that guide their life are the weights that bend everything else and it's how they justify their actions to their "good guy" mind. For Walt, this downward spiral begins around providing for his family. When faced with terminal cancer, he realizes he leaves his beloved wife, son and unborn daughter no provider or protector. Walt leverages his primary knowledge, chemistry, to get large sums of money, fast--before he dies. From beginning to end, Walt's number one concern is his family... even if this originally pure moral pillar later darkens.
3. Baby Steps: First Blood on Sunday
People do not commit horrible crimes suddenly and, initially, it's because they have to, for one reason or another. For Walt, the first big step, obviously, is to decide to sell meth. He has to, for his family, right? We understand. Then, he lies to his family and friends. But they can't know, of course; lying means protecting them from the truth. The biggest steps (and those that can be fumbled the easiest if badly executed) are when we actively diverge from contemporary standards of morality. For Walt, this is when he makes the conscious decision to murder young Domingo, AKA Krazy-8, because he is certain the gangster will kill his family otherwise. Walt writes "Murder is WRONG" and most people would agree. Killing is one of the societal standards that is most sacred and he doesn't violate it easily. He tearfully strangles Krazy-8 after much deliberation, but this is first blood. The devolution of morality dictates that anything less than murder will now seem pale by comparison and that, next time, he will need less incentive and coercion to kill again. And he does.
4. Good Guy Glimmers: "Jesse!"
While our character is baby-stepping their way into a bucket of blood, (a PLASTIC container, in Walt's case) it's important to remember they're still a good guy at heart. Or, at least, they want to be. For now. Maybe. To accomplish this, we have to see humanizing moments; words, actions or feelings that represent their old self or genuine manifestations of guilt, remorse or pity. We also need to see that they are still willing to do "the right thing" some of the time. In BrBa, this usually revolves around Jesse. Walt confides to Jesse that he wished, at a pivotal juncture, that he would've and should've died. He sees him out of an appalling drug den, into rehab and sees justice done on Jesse's enemies and attackers. He often takes some time to realize this (also a necessary part of the transformation), but eventually his loyalties to his partner win out. Walter does feel guilt, he does still care and he is still loyal. For now.
5. The Shift: "Grey Matters"
At this point, our good guy has done some horrible things, but the audience still thinks of them as a hero because they understand their motives and mentality. The audience can still ask themselves "would I do that?" To continue the evil degeneration, the motives have to get a little murky. Eventually, Walt collects enough money to adequately provide for his family and even goes into remission. Does he really need to continue making meth? He is even (arguably) offered an exit, but does not. Worse, his continued actions are hurting his relationship with his family. Walt is now a rich, respected and feared drug lord and the audiences is speculating at his motives: is he still protecting his family? Or is he now addicted to this powerful self-image he always longed for?
6. Pure Villain: Walter or Heisenberg?
Real, perfect villains are not decided by their actions, but by their motives. To complete the transformation, the character can no longer be restrained by any moral standards, including and especially the belief system that had been sacred to them. When they shrug this personal law, they fall into moral and psychological anarchy. But they still need motives, or else your hard work was for nothing. For Walt, the transformation is not yet (and may or may not ever be) complete. Despite the bloody, ruinous wake he left, he still loves his family and does his best to pick up the pieces. For Walt to be a pure villain, his selfish desires for power, freedom and authority must eclipse his love for his family. Finally, to solidify himself as a pure villain the character must then kill, discard or otherwise betray the symbols of his old morality (Walt's wife, children, in-laws and partner) and prove that his new statutes are more important. These are motives we can still understand, but we will never approve of: your audience has passed judgement, your hero has now become the villain.
Personally, I'm holding out for Walter's full commitment into Heisenberg, (and the fantastic full villain transformation) but that's more of a literary tragedy route, and you don't see that much on tv. Very likely, a hunkey-dorey celluloid ending will thwart the brilliant metamorphoses. However, I can trust that, whatever happens to Walter White, it will make perfect sense, be perfectly understandable and completely fluid, like the rest of the show has been. And that's the last lesson in character development: treat your characters like people, because that's what they are. Do what feels natural to their development. Don't force them to become villains; let them. If you have a good conception of who your character is and even an outline of the challenges they will face, the character will do the work for you. Sadly, good guys turn bad in real life all the time and Walter White is ultimately a fictional depiction of this; all it really takes is a little bad judgement and a lot of bad circumstances to turn a science teacher into a multi-national meth dealing billionaire.
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