Worst thing you’ve done to a character because “it was going too well”
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AlekAundra
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I mean, I kill my character every couple chapters (and those they care about too).
It’s a Time Loop with many misadventures.
Simple_Russian_Boi
Maybe an alcoholic | Occasionally a cat
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After my character was able to recover his lost arm, I took away his left eye. Because yes.
Iamnotabot
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Well, in one of my story. The main heroine was having a great life, she got married, have a child, her parrents are back together.
But she still need to kill the demon king, so she do it. At the cost of losing an arm, her eye, her leg, watched as her hudsband got mudered, her parrents died protecting her daughter.
But in the end, the heroine won and kill every single demon, like a genocie. And she live happily ever after with her daughter on a farm.......on a wheellchair......with ptsd......and i hinted at her daughter becoming the next heroine.
But she still need to kill the demon king, so she do it. At the cost of losing an arm, her eye, her leg, watched as her hudsband got mudered, her parrents died protecting her daughter.
But in the end, the heroine won and kill every single demon, like a genocie. And she live happily ever after with her daughter on a farm.......on a wheellchair......with ptsd......and i hinted at her daughter becoming the next heroine.
HelloHound
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it hasn't happened yet but someone is going to die
hippoman
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While not the most hurtful or bad thing ive done to a character, the thing ive written that bothers me the most is one of my characters repeatedly experiences final goodbyes without farewells. That is unexpected last meetings, usually due to death (but also due to things like memory loss or sudden need to flee in the night), so people will be waiting, expecting to meet again someday, but that day will never come. Unfortunately that is a big part of her story so it happens repeatedly. more painful the closer those left behind are.
Most assholish thing is probably give a character a cure for a disease minutes after they mercy killed their companion with said infection.
Most assholish thing is probably give a character a cure for a disease minutes after they mercy killed their companion with said infection.
TheMonotonePuppet
A Writer With Enthusiasm & A Jester of Christmas!
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ConansWitchBaby
Da Scalie Whisperer
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Intentionally made things go well. Of a story I'll never share, not because of how fucked up it is but, I read it a couple months back and even I was confused at the clusterfuck of a plot. It was a female side character that was always hated on by the MC . Never directly shown why. Slowly accepting her.
She was left to be a sex slave to a group to gain access to a safe zone city. Background as to why is because from the beginning it was stated that the MC had lost a friend right before the events of the book. Explaining away his shitty attitude. The selling of her was because he had lost his friend because of her. She had accused him with false rape allegations. Friend blew his brains out. It was supposed to hammer in that even if things were starting to go well with the transmigrated school, that some things couldn't be easily forgotten.
It would have been a tie in for the next part. How now that everyone is in relative safety, old Earth world thinking was going to creep back in. The "fresh start" idea that was introduced a short while after the beginning would have been twisted. People would start to loose focus on the survival aspect and start to see how they can manipulate a community with their personal ideologies. Still a fresh start. Just one where people know that there is a chance to control it. From all the free time they don't have dying.
I have forgotten how the world and it's magic system even works. Write things down guys. Don't play detective with your past brain.
She was left to be a sex slave to a group to gain access to a safe zone city. Background as to why is because from the beginning it was stated that the MC had lost a friend right before the events of the book. Explaining away his shitty attitude. The selling of her was because he had lost his friend because of her. She had accused him with false rape allegations. Friend blew his brains out. It was supposed to hammer in that even if things were starting to go well with the transmigrated school, that some things couldn't be easily forgotten.
It would have been a tie in for the next part. How now that everyone is in relative safety, old Earth world thinking was going to creep back in. The "fresh start" idea that was introduced a short while after the beginning would have been twisted. People would start to loose focus on the survival aspect and start to see how they can manipulate a community with their personal ideologies. Still a fresh start. Just one where people know that there is a chance to control it. From all the free time they don't have dying.
I have forgotten how the world and it's magic system even works. Write things down guys. Don't play detective with your past brain.
ForestDweller
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I'm gonna give my MC another mental breakdown by making him think all his isekai adventures are all his dream in a coma.
I'm giving him a happy family with 6 attractive wives and cute kids. He ain't getting that for free.
I'm giving him a happy family with 6 attractive wives and cute kids. He ain't getting that for free.
Stealthy_Enigma
(❀≽ᆺ≼)⊃~~~~✧ ꧁Floofy Ninja!!!꧂
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My character was given a traumatic experience, which turned into a phobia at the beginning of the story...
Every time that I feel things are going too well, all I have to do is introduce blood.
˝/\___/\˝
(✿⌒ᆺ⌒)
Every time that I feel things are going too well, all I have to do is introduce blood.
˝/\___/\˝
(✿⌒ᆺ⌒)
TheEldritchGod
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All my MCs are traumatized. However, they all are working towards fixing it.
In HKN, the MC screwed up his life and his wife left him. He spent several years getting his life together, and so as she was flying to Japan to meet with him so he was going to work things out...
So he goes and kills himself by stepping in front of Truck-Kun. He runs around in the medieval otome setting for a while, does a lot of MC flex. Works out well. Everything was going fine until he found out a fellow student had been murdered by her ex-finance that was... well...
I never JUST do something out of the blue. I always set up my MC's doom well in advance and make sure he knows...
It
Is
His
Own
Damn
FAULT
In HKN, the MC screwed up his life and his wife left him. He spent several years getting his life together, and so as she was flying to Japan to meet with him so he was going to work things out...
and I crashed the plane into the ocean.
So he goes and kills himself by stepping in front of Truck-Kun. He runs around in the medieval otome setting for a while, does a lot of MC flex. Works out well. Everything was going fine until he found out a fellow student had been murdered by her ex-finance that was... well...
(Reed is an Alias for Ryan. They are the same character)
Lilith looked like she was barely containing herself, "This IS your fault."
Aldelmo shook his head and spoke up in Ryan's defense, "Reed didn't do this. Norbert was the murderer. This didn't need to happen, that's true, but in the end, we're the victims here."
Lilith approached Aldelmo with a measured pace, speaking in a composed manner as she closed in. "Not you, Aldelmo. You aren't to blame. You are the victim in all of this. Ultimately, there was nothing you could have done to prevent it. In fact, you have consistently been doing the right thing. Maybe the only one."
Ryan took a step towards Lilith so he stood out alone as he squared off against her, "And I haven't been?"
Lilith came to a stop in front of Ryan and looked down at him, "No. You haven't. I've let this go far too long, but someone needs to stop you. Someone needs to tell you to your face what's wrong and everyone else is too scared to do it."
"Why would anyone be afraid of talking to me?" Ryan folded his arms, "I think I've made it clear I am willing to listen to anyone regardless of rank or status."
Lilith nodded, "Exactly."
Ryan frowned, "Huh?"
Lilith pointed a finger accusingly. "And that's precisely the issue. Since you transformed into..." She motioned towards Ryan with the back of her hand, "This, whatever you are, you've become a barbarian. Disregarding rules, protocols, traditions—everything that defines civilization—you dismiss it all as if it holds no value. You spit on it like nothing matters."
Ryan dropped his arms to his side and gave her a little bow, "Why thank you."
Lilith raised her head slightly so she could look down her nose at Ryan, "Yes. You would think that was a compliment. But unfortunately, that is exactly why Finella is dead."
Ryan straightened up and raised an eyebrow, "Come again?"
Lilith's scowl increased, "You can try and blame Aldelmo, or the headmaster, or point to anyone else, but in the end, if you had but acted as a noble, none of this would have happened."
Ryan blinked then cleaned out his ear with a pinky, "Run that by me again?"
Lilith clenched her teeth. "Society exists for a reason. Our way of speaking and behaving serves as a means of identification, distinguishing who belongs and who doesn't. It establishes boundaries of what is acceptable and what is not." She pointed directly at Ryan. "By disregarding the rules and disrespecting society, you forfeit its protections. If you show no respect, don't expect any in return."
Ryan rubbed his eyes briefly, taken aback. "Wow. What you're saying is true, but I'm struggling to see the connection." He raised his hand to run his fingers through his hair, "So what if nobody respects..." He blinked, as if a revelation had struck him. "Me?"
Lilith's eyes widened. "Are you starting to understand? Let me explain in detail." She began gesturing, using her hands to emphasize her words. "When you initially came back, three of your classmates confronted you. Instead of handling it in a dignified manner like a noble, you severed someone's fingers." She wiggled her fingers for emphasis. "Even then, you had an opportunity to turn the situation to your advantage, but instead of annihilating your adversaries, you simply let them go."
She swept her arm to the side, "You were threatened in your classroom and instead of acting like a noble, you fractured Charles' hand." She swept her arm the other way, "When you were humiliated at the dance, instead of getting revenge, you just let..."
"It..."
"Go."
Ryan's eyebrow furrowed as he tried to follow what Lilith was saying.
"That was the moment you made it clear to everyone that they can do whatever they please to you, and the only way you would retaliate is through physical aggression," Lilith explained, tilting her head to the side. "And healing potions are cheap." Slowly turning her head back, she continued, "As a result, Baron Akar targeted your friends." She flicked her hand to the side. "Sure, you and Aldelmo dealt with him, but that's not the issue. If you had commanded his respect, he would never have attacked the orphanage in the first place."
Lilith pointed into the distance. "And so Finella foolishly believed it was acceptable to take a cheap shot at you. Norbert supported her and if the demons hadn't attacked, it would have ended there." She shook her head. "I wish she had approached me first, because they believed they were simply messing with you, without realizing they were also insulting the Headmaster."
She forcefully stabbed her finger towards the floor, "The Headmaster had no choice but to punish Norbert. If he didn't, it would signal that the headmaster could be targeted without consequence." She pointed her finger directly at Ryan's chest. "Do you think this is all about YOU? If you had conducted yourself as a proper noble from the beginning, none of this would have ever happened!"
Lilith began counting off on her fingers. "Aldelmo was hurt, the orphanage was harmed, and even the headmaster suffered. The only one who emerged unscathed was you." She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. "If Norbert had conducted himself as a noble, he could have withstood this ordeal. But his pride was too deeply wounded. Like you, he preferred to blame others for his mistakes."
Lilith's eyes snapped open, fixing a piercing gaze on Ryan. "In the end, Norbert bears responsibility, but if you want to know how this could have been prevented, that's simple." Her lip quivered as she struggled to speak while keeping her emotions in check. "If you had just—" She abruptly halted herself, tightly clenching both her fists. "Why?"
Lilith advanced towards Ryan, her hands outstretched as if she desired to throttle him. The frigid composure she had maintained shattered as her simmering rage surged to the forefront. "YOU ARE BETTER THAN THIS!" she exclaimed. "I have witnessed it! I know there is greatness within you! Tell me, WHY? Why do you persist in being like this?" Her gaze swept over him. "Why can't you embrace your nobility? Why must you demean yourself? Why must you make everyone hate you?"
Ryan said nothing.
Lilith slapped herself on both sides of her face simultaneously, then slowly dragged her hands down while keeping her gaze fixed on Ryan. "I don't understand. I just don't. It would require such little effort from you, and yet you insist on—" She reached out into the air, clutching at nothing, and tightly closed her eyes before abruptly throwing her hands to the side and letting out a cry of frustration. "WHAT? Do you just hate nobles? Is this revenge? Do you believe you are causing us harm?” She pointed a sweeping finger at her friends. "Because while it may be true that the longer you fight society, the more things will break, I can assure you of this; In the end…"
"NOTHING WILL CHANGE."
Ryan maintained a stoic silence, apparently unmoved by Lilith's outburst and impassioned rant. As she stood there, catching her breath and slowly realizing she had likely crossed a line, she came to a sobering realization. This was not an appropriate display in a public setting. She had reached her breaking point without even realizing it and lost control. Unfortunately, everything she had just said could never be taken back, and she was acutely aware of this fact.
Ryan cast his eyes to the floor when he finally spoke, "You have given me much to think about." Ryan looked genuinely hurt as he turned and walked out of the cafeteria. His pace was not rushed, but not slow either. Perhaps dazed might be the word best to describe him.
Everyone silently watched him leave.
Lilith looked like she was barely containing herself, "This IS your fault."
Aldelmo shook his head and spoke up in Ryan's defense, "Reed didn't do this. Norbert was the murderer. This didn't need to happen, that's true, but in the end, we're the victims here."
Lilith approached Aldelmo with a measured pace, speaking in a composed manner as she closed in. "Not you, Aldelmo. You aren't to blame. You are the victim in all of this. Ultimately, there was nothing you could have done to prevent it. In fact, you have consistently been doing the right thing. Maybe the only one."
Ryan took a step towards Lilith so he stood out alone as he squared off against her, "And I haven't been?"
Lilith came to a stop in front of Ryan and looked down at him, "No. You haven't. I've let this go far too long, but someone needs to stop you. Someone needs to tell you to your face what's wrong and everyone else is too scared to do it."
"Why would anyone be afraid of talking to me?" Ryan folded his arms, "I think I've made it clear I am willing to listen to anyone regardless of rank or status."
Lilith nodded, "Exactly."
Ryan frowned, "Huh?"
Lilith pointed a finger accusingly. "And that's precisely the issue. Since you transformed into..." She motioned towards Ryan with the back of her hand, "This, whatever you are, you've become a barbarian. Disregarding rules, protocols, traditions—everything that defines civilization—you dismiss it all as if it holds no value. You spit on it like nothing matters."
Ryan dropped his arms to his side and gave her a little bow, "Why thank you."
Lilith raised her head slightly so she could look down her nose at Ryan, "Yes. You would think that was a compliment. But unfortunately, that is exactly why Finella is dead."
Ryan straightened up and raised an eyebrow, "Come again?"
Lilith's scowl increased, "You can try and blame Aldelmo, or the headmaster, or point to anyone else, but in the end, if you had but acted as a noble, none of this would have happened."
Ryan blinked then cleaned out his ear with a pinky, "Run that by me again?"
Lilith clenched her teeth. "Society exists for a reason. Our way of speaking and behaving serves as a means of identification, distinguishing who belongs and who doesn't. It establishes boundaries of what is acceptable and what is not." She pointed directly at Ryan. "By disregarding the rules and disrespecting society, you forfeit its protections. If you show no respect, don't expect any in return."
Ryan rubbed his eyes briefly, taken aback. "Wow. What you're saying is true, but I'm struggling to see the connection." He raised his hand to run his fingers through his hair, "So what if nobody respects..." He blinked, as if a revelation had struck him. "Me?"
Lilith's eyes widened. "Are you starting to understand? Let me explain in detail." She began gesturing, using her hands to emphasize her words. "When you initially came back, three of your classmates confronted you. Instead of handling it in a dignified manner like a noble, you severed someone's fingers." She wiggled her fingers for emphasis. "Even then, you had an opportunity to turn the situation to your advantage, but instead of annihilating your adversaries, you simply let them go."
She swept her arm to the side, "You were threatened in your classroom and instead of acting like a noble, you fractured Charles' hand." She swept her arm the other way, "When you were humiliated at the dance, instead of getting revenge, you just let..."
"It..."
"Go."
Ryan's eyebrow furrowed as he tried to follow what Lilith was saying.
"That was the moment you made it clear to everyone that they can do whatever they please to you, and the only way you would retaliate is through physical aggression," Lilith explained, tilting her head to the side. "And healing potions are cheap." Slowly turning her head back, she continued, "As a result, Baron Akar targeted your friends." She flicked her hand to the side. "Sure, you and Aldelmo dealt with him, but that's not the issue. If you had commanded his respect, he would never have attacked the orphanage in the first place."
Lilith pointed into the distance. "And so Finella foolishly believed it was acceptable to take a cheap shot at you. Norbert supported her and if the demons hadn't attacked, it would have ended there." She shook her head. "I wish she had approached me first, because they believed they were simply messing with you, without realizing they were also insulting the Headmaster."
She forcefully stabbed her finger towards the floor, "The Headmaster had no choice but to punish Norbert. If he didn't, it would signal that the headmaster could be targeted without consequence." She pointed her finger directly at Ryan's chest. "Do you think this is all about YOU? If you had conducted yourself as a proper noble from the beginning, none of this would have ever happened!"
Lilith began counting off on her fingers. "Aldelmo was hurt, the orphanage was harmed, and even the headmaster suffered. The only one who emerged unscathed was you." She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. "If Norbert had conducted himself as a noble, he could have withstood this ordeal. But his pride was too deeply wounded. Like you, he preferred to blame others for his mistakes."
Lilith's eyes snapped open, fixing a piercing gaze on Ryan. "In the end, Norbert bears responsibility, but if you want to know how this could have been prevented, that's simple." Her lip quivered as she struggled to speak while keeping her emotions in check. "If you had just—" She abruptly halted herself, tightly clenching both her fists. "Why?"
Lilith advanced towards Ryan, her hands outstretched as if she desired to throttle him. The frigid composure she had maintained shattered as her simmering rage surged to the forefront. "YOU ARE BETTER THAN THIS!" she exclaimed. "I have witnessed it! I know there is greatness within you! Tell me, WHY? Why do you persist in being like this?" Her gaze swept over him. "Why can't you embrace your nobility? Why must you demean yourself? Why must you make everyone hate you?"
Ryan said nothing.
Lilith slapped herself on both sides of her face simultaneously, then slowly dragged her hands down while keeping her gaze fixed on Ryan. "I don't understand. I just don't. It would require such little effort from you, and yet you insist on—" She reached out into the air, clutching at nothing, and tightly closed her eyes before abruptly throwing her hands to the side and letting out a cry of frustration. "WHAT? Do you just hate nobles? Is this revenge? Do you believe you are causing us harm?” She pointed a sweeping finger at her friends. "Because while it may be true that the longer you fight society, the more things will break, I can assure you of this; In the end…"
"NOTHING WILL CHANGE."
Ryan maintained a stoic silence, apparently unmoved by Lilith's outburst and impassioned rant. As she stood there, catching her breath and slowly realizing she had likely crossed a line, she came to a sobering realization. This was not an appropriate display in a public setting. She had reached her breaking point without even realizing it and lost control. Unfortunately, everything she had just said could never be taken back, and she was acutely aware of this fact.
Ryan cast his eyes to the floor when he finally spoke, "You have given me much to think about." Ryan looked genuinely hurt as he turned and walked out of the cafeteria. His pace was not rushed, but not slow either. Perhaps dazed might be the word best to describe him.
Everyone silently watched him leave.
I never JUST do something out of the blue. I always set up my MC's doom well in advance and make sure he knows...
It
Is
His
Own
Damn
FAULT
georgelee5786
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The death is his wife and violation of what he believed the impregnable security of his Palace
ArcadiaBlade
I'm a Lazy Writer, So What?
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Wait, your characters are doing well?
NotaNuffian
This does spark joy.
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Jesus, here feels like Serial Killer Anonymous Association.
Kalliel
Grind, Future, A Beautiful Star
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Exactly.
TotallyHuman
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you don't have to make things worse for your character when things are going too well when they never go too well
Dia779
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-Mob unintentionally caused a misunderstanding by making it looked like he ntr'd some of the harem girls in the novel he was in. While being completely oblivious..... thus generating massive amount of hate from most characters.
-Killed off the good personality and having their System abilities purged off when the more malevolant personality took over. ALSO breaking the hearts of goodie personality's companions & lover without giving them any explanation for closure. Not that he cared that much.....
-Abandoning characters that bad future/ill fate when they think the scenario is over n leaving them after, not realizing they had tremendous attachment to them, thus causing them to be twisted later on, bent on getting revenge on my characters for leaving them behind....
Plantorsomething
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I love time loops!I mean, I kill my character every couple chapters (and those they care about too).
It’s a Time Loop with many misadventures.
Introducing a bad thing because solely because things are going too well is a bit cheap, I plan my bad things well in advance with respect to the themes thank you very much. Well, I used to, I’m trying the pantser route for the first time so who knows, but point is suffering or suffering sake is boring or disruptive imo