The Midpoint: The Scene Where Everything Changes
There are all kinds of different stories and countless ways to tell them. But I believe that the best and most effective way to take a story from good to great is by connecting the characters emotionally.
If you’ve been in the Story Map bonuses, you know I have an entire chart and template dedicated to this (the character web). But today, I want to look at one of my very favorite movies and the scene that changed everything.
I saw Rogue One 5 times in the theater. (I’m not ashamed.) And I’ve seen it several times since. But on my most recent viewing, I found myself getting very critical. Keith (my husband) and I were pointing out all the things that were wrong. But about halfway through, that all stopped. I was hooked. I had no more complaints or criticisms.
Why?
Sometimes it just takes a little while to introduce a story and its characters. And I understand that much of the world building and characterization that takes place in the first half of this story is necessary. But about halfway through there came a scene with heart, emotionality, high stakes, and, most importantly, connection. It’s the scene where they characters start working together. Where they form a bond that carries us through the rest of the story.
Warning - spoilers below.
In this scene, Jyn and her crew have landed on a new planet in order to track down Galen Erso, the architect of the Death Star. Director Krennic is there to execute the person responsible for betraying the Empire. The Rebels send a squadron to target Galen when they lose contact with Catpain Cassian Andor.
This scene is beautiful for a lot of reasons. There are stakes and tension and consequences and betrayals. But the reason I believe this scene changed the tide for this story and made it one of my favorite movies ever is because of the emotions and purpose established in our core crew. Let’s take a look at all of them and what they are doing in this scene, then we’ll examine how their actions demonstrated the emotions, purpose, and connection that becomes the heart of this story moving forward.
Actions:
Cassian: Cassian leaves the ship (acting shady) under the guise of finding Galen (Jyn’s father), while secretly on a mission to kill him. He hesitates and then changes his mind. When the Rebels show up, he goes to get Jyn.
Bodhi: Shows Cassian the way to lab where Galen is, then finds a ship they can steal to get out.
Jyn: Goes to her father and gets caught in the Rebel crossfire. She says goodbye to her father as he dies.
Chirrut and Baze: Follow Jyn. Defend her and Cassian against stormtroopers.
K-2SO: Fixes communication with the Rebels and then helps Bodhi get a new ship.
This scene, situated right in the middle of the story, provides an excellent Midpoint and Moment of Truth for both Jyn and Cassian:
Cassian, who has always depended heavily on his loyalty to the Rebel Alliance, defies his mission in favor of Jyn and a personal belief rather than a big picture allegiance.
And Jyn, who has not particularly cared to join one side or the other, has her heart changed by her father and his sacrifice, moving her to join the Rebels in their mission.
This purpose is everything. Part of the reason the story flounders a bit in the first half is because our supposed protagonist does not have much of a desire and virtually no story goal. As soon as she develops one, suddenly the story clicks into place, solidifying in a meaningful and compelling way. Now Jyn wants to honor her father’s sacrifice by bringing the Death Star down. That is a specific goal that viewers can get on board with and root for and it makes the rest of the movie straightforward and easy to follow.
The other reason this scene is so powerful is because it establishes an emotional connection between our core crew. It’s Harry and Ron fighting the troll for Hermione. Their relationship has an emotional foundation that is forever altered after this.
Every member of the crew takes a risk in order to protect someone else. Now we can root for these characters together. And once they have their goal to go rogue and find the Death Star plans on their own, there is a foundation that makes their sacrifice powerful and emotional.
Key takeaways:
Are you using your Midpoint as a way to establish and move forward your character arc by giving your protagonist a Moment of Truth and solidifying their story goal?
Are you using your Midpoint as a way to strengthen the bond between the main characters in your story? Perhaps by having them defend, protect, or change their attitude toward each other?
The fastest way to write a strong story is with an effective outline that plots your novel’s beating heart.
In Outline Your Novel, you’ll learn exactly what these beats are, why they matter, and how to outline them effectively to make your story sing.
