Goals, Stakes, & Urgency: The Three Elements of Plot

No matter whether it’s a book, movie, comic, or even epic poem, all stories are configured of two main components, characters and plot. However, neither are solely independent of the other; characters are the catalysts of plot and plot builds characters. Yet, plot is the basis of all stories and a faulty plot could be the downfall of the story’s characters, leaving them flat and two-dimensional. In order to create a well-balanced plot, a writer must consider three elements; the goal, the stakes, and the urgency. In order to fully understand how these three elements affect both the overall plot and character arcs, we’ll take a look at three films which are parts of epic franchises: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, and Avengers: Endgame. All three of these movies possess an array of moldable characters, locations, and storylines which seemingly intertwine to weld a compelling story which is all contained by a concrete plot.

Goal: The “What?”

The goal is the “X” that marks the spot at the end of the plot; it’s both the objective of our protagonists and antagonists as well as the audience’s reminder of why we’ve embarked on this quest in the first place. This goal acts as a missing piece to a puzzle, a weapon that threatens our protagonist, or a hybrid of the two. Epics typically use this type of goal, creating a two-part quest for everyone involved. In Dead Man’s Chest, the characters want the heart of Davy Jones, but need the key to the chest. In Endgame, the Avengers need to find all the Infinity Stones to power the gauntlet in order to bring their friends back. The Force Awakens uses the plot’s goal as a way of unveiling the inner desires and developing the film’s key players: Rey, Finn, and Kylo Ren. Rey wants to return BB-8 to the Rebellion because it's the right thing to do, Finn because it helps him escape further from the First Order, and Kylo Ren because it’ll lead to Luke Skywalker, allowing him to kill the Light both in the universe and within himself. Every scene should act as a checkpoint towards achieving this goal and the audience should be able to answer why that checkpoint is important. “Why are we aboard the Flying Dutchman?” To find the key to unlock the Dead Man’s Chest. “Why are we time-travelling?” To get the infinity stones and restore the universe’s population. The goal of the plot is the most concrete of the three elements; it must remain the same throughout in order to maintain a solid plot.

Stakes: The “Why?”

The stakes of the plot poses the question of why do these characters want this goal? The stakes should build the audience’s empathy for the characters as well as establish what will happen if they fail, turning want into need. If the Rebellion fails to find Luke Skywalker, the First Order, and therefore the Dark Side, will reign over the galaxy. If the Avengers fail to retrieve all the Infinity Stones, their friends and half the universe remain dead. Both The Force Awakens and Endgame have a black and white morality to their stakes (the Light Side and the Dark Side, good and evil, ect.), and therefore each side has a collective risk. However, in Dead Man’s Chest, each character that pursues the chest has their own individual stakes, creating a conflict of motivation in the plot. All characters want the Dead Man’s Chest, but Jack Sparrow needs it in order to escape the Kraken; Will Turner needs it to free his father from the Flying Dutchman; James Norrington needs it to restore the life stolen from him; Cutler Beckett needs it to exterminate pirates from the seven seas; and Davy Jones needs it, simply, because it’s his heart everyone’s seeking to stab. In each case, all characters have something one the line and when they are threatened, their true emotion and power rises to the surface, developing their arc further.

Urgency: The “When?”

The urgency of the plot posts a ticking clock into the back of the audience’s heads. It not only ensures that the story is not a never-ending struggle but also instills the intensity of a deadline, forcing the audience to sit at the edge of their seat, unable to relax or take their eyes off the screen. The urgency of every story is unique to the goals and stakes of the plot. The Force Awakens is very much like tug-of-war where each side is pulled closer and closer to the climax of the film with the map to Luke Skywalker acting as the map; Poe Dameron sends the map away from Kylo Ren; Kylo Ren kidnaps Rey who has seen the map. In Dead Man’s Chest, every key character races toward the chest, each with their own character-specific timeline, hyping up the intensity everytime the heart or the key are just out of grasp. However, in Endgame, the urgency doesn’t hit until the film’s midpoint when Thanos from the past discovers the Time Heist. From that point on, every scene begins to pick up speed until the chaotic third act where one small mistake may cost the entire existence of the universe. Urgency acts as a catalyst in the formula of character growth; the “pressure of time” plus the “hard choices” the plot forces the character to make equals the amplification of emotion. Take Tony Stark for example: at the height of the final showdown, with Thanos on the brink of snapping once again, Tony realizes he can prevent it by stealing the individual stones rather than the gauntlet, leaving him with the choice of letting Thanos win or sacrificing his life for the universe. In the formula of urgency, emotion trumps rationality; Tony did not have the time to think of another way of defeating Thanos, and ultimately did whatever was necessary to save the ones he loved.