Your MC has been told he has to save the world.

MGraybosch · Oct 13, 2009

Let's face it: we play for high stakes when writing sci-fi and fantasy. Our protagonists tend to end up with the fate of worlds in their hands. So how would your MC react to being told that he's The One?

My MC, Morgan Stormrider, reacted with cynicism: "That sounds like work for a hero. Do I look like a hero to you?"

DeleyanLee · Oct 13, 2009

"Not again. This is getting old."

kct webber · Oct 13, 2009

"You, you old crazy-bearded wizard guy, are an insane bastid," he said, as he continued hoeing (cuz, of course, he's a farmboy) with his unnaturally-colored eyes flashing in an inexplicably handsome and 'noble-looking' face. :tongue

Mr Flibble · Oct 13, 2009

'No, no it was me last week! It's Tim this week. Him, over there'

*runs away while they look*

dolores haze · Oct 13, 2009

"Yep, OK. I'll get to it as soon as the dishes and laundry are done."

kct webber · Oct 13, 2009

In seriousness, though, my MCs (3 of them) have never been told they have to save the world. The whole specific prophecy thing just isn't the clear in my world. No one knows who has to do what, and what will actually happen. Prophecy exists--sort of--but it works in a different sort of way.

cathyfreeze · Oct 13, 2009

I think if people are to write prophecies into their stories, they should look at RL prophets and their writings/speeches. No one ever tells a guy out of no where in RL that *he's* gotta do this or that. Prophecies are nebulous and used by conmen to make a livelihood in hard times. They're dredged up later by organizations to explain why they're really doing the *right* thing in wars or genocidal massacres.

Or they're used by conspiracy theorists who don't want to get a real job and enjoy dredging up fear and panic. Point is, they're used *after* the fact, most often, to explain how this prophet was brilliant and so you should buy his book.

I prefer predicting systems like the i ching or tarot. Or the bones in 13th warrior. People really did that, in the old days--when things looked volatile, they really did read entrails or throw bones or some such to get direction from their gods.

cat

BlackBriar · Oct 13, 2009

Mason: "Yeahhhhh, um, I need to go to the bathroom, the one with that nice big window, letting in all the sunshine. Be right back! I promise..."

benbradley · Oct 13, 2009

My MC's first action was to beat the heck out of the messenger. (after reading post #7, this turns out to be wholly appropriate)

Then he thought for a moment and said: "The fame! The fortune! The ... the ... the ... oh, I better not say THAT word, this is supposed to be an all-ages novel!"

The story ends with a large percentage of the New Population tracing its genetic heritage to MC.

cbenoi1 · Oct 13, 2009

"So it appears you are The Chosen One," said Monstruo, his voice cold as ice.

Timmy glanced around for a fall guy. "I -- I guess so," he said.

"We're all behind you, Timmy," whispered someone crouched behind his back. "All the way." He saw the boy's arm go up, fist clenched, as a sign of defiant support.

-cb

BlackBriar · Oct 13, 2009

cbenoi1 said:
"So it appears you are The Chosen One," said Monstruo, his voice cold as ice.

Timmy glanced around for a fall guy. "I -- I guess so," he said.

"We're all behind you, Timmy," whispered someone crouched behind his back. "All the way." He saw the boy's arm go up, fist clenched, as a sign of defiant support.

-cb

lmao. Great! I feel bad for the lil tyke.

waylander · Oct 13, 2009

"You haven't paid me for the last time."

dirtsider · Oct 13, 2009

My MC's aren't told they're the 'ones' to save the world. They just sorta fall into the role if there was such a thing, mainly because they don't want to be blamed for someone else's mess.

Misa Buckley · Oct 13, 2009

In another of my WIPs my "hero" isn't so much saving the world as getting revenge on the antagonist. Stopping the Earth from getting ripped apart is just an added bonus

FinalFayt · Oct 13, 2009

"Do I really have to save the world now? 5 more minutes...zzzzzz"

Sarah W · Oct 13, 2009

I wrote a great deal of a novel way back when that had a funny, little man appear in 1906 Iowa and tell one Mabel Hortense Thwick, ingrained reference librarian, that he was there to take her from her hum drum life into the place of wonders and adventure about which she'd always dreamed . . . And where she would be instrumental in saving the Kingdom of Wendell from foreclosure by going on a weird quest that had already failed several times (hence the need to outsource the position of heroic maiden).

Mabel told him in no uncertain terms that she found his assumptions about her quality of life insulting, he'd obviously mistaken her for someone else, and if he didn't stop bothering her while she was working, she'd call a policeman.

He dragged her off anyway, of course, and she turned out to be right--she was the wrong person. I believe I intended to have her save the kingdom anyway, as blackmail is a great motivator (it's not as if she could walk home), but I'm pretty sure she would have fought every inch of the way.

Dicentra P · Oct 13, 2009

One will do what is necessary to keep her immediate world from falling apart, but c'mon the whole world is beyond her. The other has been trying to save the ungrateful world for most of her life if it would just co-operate and be saved in the way she wants it to.

geardrops · Oct 13, 2009

"Wait, what?"

MGraybosch · Oct 13, 2009

misaditas said:
In another of my WIPs my "hero" isn't so much saving the world as getting revenge on the antagonist. Stopping the Earth from getting ripped apart is just an added bonus

In Starbreaker, Morgan earned his living by deposing tyrants and corrupt government officials as an enforcer for a NGO called the Phoenix Society. During the course of the story, he learns that the Society itself is corrupt, and is far more concerned with rooting out the truth about the Phoenix Society and its executive council than he is about saving the world from a demon from outer space that has been imprisoned beneath the Antarctic ice cap for over 10,000 years.

However, when that demon breaks enough of its bindings to be able to threaten to crash human civilization if the human race does not kneel and swear immediate and utter obedience, Morgan's priorities change in a hurry.

Ardent Kat · Oct 13, 2009

People tend to be cynical and slow to listen to any religious views but what they already [dis]believe, yet we're expected to think a MC would instantly believe someone spouting prophecy? Kind of interesting.

Nakhlasmoke · Oct 13, 2009

"Um...no."

Misa Buckley · Oct 13, 2009

MGraybosch said:
In Starbreaker, Morgan earned his living by deposing tyrants and corrupt government officials as an enforcer for a NGO called the Phoenix Society. During the course of the story, he learns that the Society itself is corrupt, and is far more concerned with rooting out the truth about the Phoenix Society and its executive council than he is about saving the world from a demon from outer space that has been imprisoned beneath the Antarctic ice cap for over 10,000 years.

However, when that demon breaks enough of its bindings to be able to threaten to crash human civilization if the human race does not kneel and swear immediate and utter obedience, Morgan's priorities change in a hurry.

Cool (pardon the pun).

MGraybosch · Oct 13, 2009

Ardent Kat said:
People tend to be cynical and slow to listen to any religious views but what they already [dis]believe, yet we're expected to think a MC would instantly believe someone spouting prophecy? Kind of interesting.

It doesn't have to be a prophecy. It could just as easily be that the MC was told by some so-called magus that he's inherited the Dark Lord's favorite Beanie Baby, that this toy must be kept from the Dark Lord at all costs, and that your MC is the best person to guard the damned thing.

jimbotomy · Oct 13, 2009

"What's in it for me?"

MGraybosch · Oct 13, 2009

misaditas said:
Cool (pardon the pun).

Thanks.

Your MC has been told he has to save the world.

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