Wtf is a "glue character" you might ask? Think of a story based around a team/band of characters. They all have their role and archetype. Maybe you've got a leader, a hotshot, a wildcard, but you often have that one character that is "the glue that holds the team together." They are not the flashy, exciting, fan-favorite character but one that is very necessary to keep everyone else in check. What are character arcs you've seen work for such a character? I'm having a block on what my options are. It seems to me that these characters are quite stable, and have probably already figured out a lot of their problems beforehand, to help the rest of the team. Or maybe I'm wrong. What roads are left to explore? (Obviously, this is a very generalized, non-specific question, so any examples you've seen of this working would be awesome)
One of my favorite “glue characters” in popular fiction is Brian Johnson from The Breakfast Club. He’s the nerd of the group, in case you’re unfamiliar or might have forgotten. His position among his peers at detention is unique — he’s neither high status (Claire & Andrew), nor an obviously troubled outcast (John & Allison). He’s something in between. This is vitally important to the story, as his intermediate (and overlooked) social standing helps the other characters to not feel threatened by him, specifically his acceptance or rejection. Director John Hughes uses Brian brilliantly in my opinion. He makes sure to reveal that even though Brian is neither at the top or bottom social strata of his high school, his regular emotional struggles are just as difficult to manage as everyone else’s are. He seemingly has it more together than the others, but that’s largely a facade. There’s plenty of pain, fear, and stress underneath. At the end of the film it’s Brian who writes the message to Mr. Vernon. And while it’s not explicitly shown, he’s likely the one who named the group the Breakfast Club. Glue characters generally have the best understanding of themselves and everyone in the group. That valuable insight is how and where they shine brightest. They need opportunities to use that deeper understanding for the group’s benefit, e.g., the message to Vernon.
I'm thinking a glue character can sometimes be the helper type, who can really help or even heal other people, but doesn't necessarily have his or her own life together. Often they seem to be neglected children who had to take care of maybe a parent or a sibling or all of them, and never really learned to take care of themselves. They neglect themselves, as their parents used to neglect them. This could apply at least to some extent to Brian from Breakfast Club I think. Besides the listed attributes, he was also the smartest one in the group. No, I don't know. Brian didn't really have a knack for helping others or solving their disputes. And he wasn't neglected so much as pushed too hard to be what his parents wanted rather than allowed to be himself. He's a different kind of glue character I suppose.
My initial thought is that a "glue character" is most likely a middle-child in a sibling hierarchy. Sandwiched by the bossy firstborns and the risk-taking youngest, middle children tend to get along well with others. They are adaptable, diplomatic peacekeepers and great negotiators. A character arc might well involve some drama amongst the siblings.
