Relationships

[Brayon]

I recently read this article: Stop Worrying about Character: Start Focusing on Relationships.

I must admit, after looking back at some of my favorite stories on GA and in general, that the stories that had relationships between the characters were the ones I enjoyed the most. And they didn't just need to be a positive relationship. They could be rivals, or even "frienemies." Take a story I recently linked that I read, The Soulbound series by Hailey Turner. The relationships between the characters make the story more than just urban fantasy.

[Talo Segura]

It's summed up perfectly in the last sentence:

What makes a character’s journey truly memorable are the relationships we readers get to become part of along the way.

[W_L]

I agree that relationships are more important than just creating a character. A reason why I didn't enjoy the big screen concept of "Batman vs. Superman" was that the relationship between the two heroes/rivals were so skin deep, the motivation for conflict was tacked on. In cartoon and comic versions, like "World's Finest" two part episode in 90's, there's a lot more character nuance, ideological issues, and an acknowledgement of respect/boundaries.

A good rivalry shouldn't be just plain black/white, shared goals can build connections with characters just as well as show where they diverge on separate paths to reach it.