1. jej_jones

    jej_jones Member

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    “End goal” for my antagonist

    Discussion in 'Character Development' started by jej_jones, Mar 15, 2020.

    Hello!

    I’m looking for a little help here. My antagonist for the book I’m about to start is a serial killer who kills (mostly) convicted pedophiles.

    What sets him off on his spree is an event that triggers emotions from when he was a child that were very traumatic. What I need to know is...what could his end goal be?

    Obviously not killing every child predator on earth. What could be a believable stopping point? Not sure if he’ll actually reach it or not, but I’m just looking for ideas.
    Anything would help!

    thank you
     
  2. TheOtherPromise

    TheOtherPromise Senior Member

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    Why does he need a stopping point? Couldn't his end goal just be something simple, like he believes that he is making the world a better place every time he kills one of his victims. With that kind of motivation, there won't be any point where he can say his work is done, and so he'll never stop by his own accord.
     
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  3. More

    More Active Member

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    Some serial killers fall into a predictable cycle. The killing gives them a big rush of pleasure . This become a deep felling of gilt and fear . Often the killer tries to depress their fellings with drink or drugs . Eventually the guilt fades and thay kill again . Many serial killers feel the need to escape the cycle , and kill more frequently and take more chances , in order to be captured.
     
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  4. cosmic lights

    cosmic lights Contributor Contributor

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    What if he gets caught? Even if he's killing people that deserve it, he's still illegally murdering people. To me what he's doing doesn't give him a ticket to forgiveness. There's been tons of books about serial killers killing hideous people (which I love) but there are other ways to stop these people and it's a endless battle. So you're right to question the stopping pointing. Maybe he wont stop so maybe someone stops him.
     
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  5. keysersoze

    keysersoze Senior Member

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    I suppose someone would disagree with me here. Nevertheless, the antagonist and the protagonist must be after the same thing. Now what can it be?

    I suppose your protagonist would be a detective of some sort. So they can both want the life of a prized individual - a convicted pedophile. The protagonist would want to save his life and the antagonist would want to take his life. The protagonist might want the pedophile as the pedophile is a witness in another case.

    If you give the protagonist and the antagonist different things they are after then there is a chance case that they can co-exist peacefully and that doesn't remain very antagonistic, does it?
     
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  6. jej_jones

    jej_jones Member

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    This is a great point. There will come a time in the story where my protagonist (which is a detective, surprise surprise) will have that internal battle where he believes, on some level, the pedophiles deserve what they're getting, but knows he can't allow it. Another layer is that my protag's daughter was abused by the protag's brother many years before the story starts, so that would add layers to my protag's internal battle.

    Very good point and thank you!
     
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  7. jej_jones

    jej_jones Member

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    I've thought about this myself. I guess with real life serial killers, they didn't necessarily have an "end goal," like I'm trying to portray here.
     
  8. Kalisto

    Kalisto Senior Member

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    He doesn't need one. The idea of an "endgame" came from Criminal Minds and it's largely a myth. He's just saving the children. If it wasn't pedophiles, it'll be something else. In his view, he's a vigilante and like a person addicted to shopping or drugs, he's not going for a specific purpose other than alleviate his own pain
     
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