Creating Supportive Side Characters

Your protagonist is undoubtedly the most crucial figure in your story, but they can’t exist in a vacuum. Like any natural person, they need the support of others to lend weight to their story. This is what makes creating supportive side characters so important. 

But how do you select the right supporting cast? And how do you balance their subplots with your protagonist’s arc without letting them steal the spotlight?

In celebration of the Christmas season, I’ve chosen to use Die Hard as a case study for creating memorable side characters.

Five Ways To Create Strong Supportive Side Characters:

1. Give Them Purpose
2. Give Them A Backstory
3. Give Them An Arc
4. Give Them Thematic Arguments
5. Give Them Defining Moments

As stated in last month’s blog, your protagonist’s internal struggle serves as the catalyst for their thematic transition from lie to truth. Their arc is essential to making your story work, providing a foundation on which to build everything else. But your character won’t be able to undergo that change if their misbelief goes unchallenged. 

That’s where your side characters come in.

Give Them Purpose

Side characters exist primarily to challenge the misbeliefs plaguing your protagonist, enabling them to fully explore the many facets of the truth they need to embrace. Look for ways to use them to hinder or advance your protagonist’s journey.

Die Hard opens with New York cop John McClane arriving in Los Angeles on Christmas Eve. The reasons for his trip slowly become apparent as he’s unwillingly drawn into a conversation with Argyle, the young limo driver tasked with picking him up at the airport.

The dialogue between McClane and Argyle provides the audience with all the necessary exposition to get them up to speed. We learn that John is in LA to see his wife, whom he has been estranged from for six months. When John offers an excuse for why he decided to stay in New York, Argyle quickly gets to the truth.

Argyle’s purpose is to chip away at McClane’s tough guy exterior. To show that beneath his wounded pride, he’s really a guy who’s still in love with his wife. 

Give Them A Backstory

While it isn’t necessary to delve into the amount of detail that makes up your protagonist’s backstory, your side characters will feel more relatable and interesting if you take the time to give them a little backstory of their own.

After he’s lured into the story’s central conflict, Sergeant Al Powell quickly bonds with McClane via radio. Powell offers support and encouragement throughout the story at critical moments in John’s journey. As a fellow police officer, Al understands the risks of the job and how one mistake can change everything.

This little backstory adds depth and dimension to Powell’s character. We feel his pain and identify with his need for a second chance. Most importantly, Powell exhibits the kind of vulnerability that McClane desperately needs to embrace. A vulnerability that will enable him to swallow his pride and reconcile with his wife.

Give Them An Arc

Your protagonist doesn’t have to be the only one in your story with a strong character arc. Allowing your side characters to experience their own unique transition from lie to truth will make them just as relatable and memorable to your audience.

When we first meet McClane’s estranged wife, Holly, she’s a high-power executive—built for the business and tough as nails. Since their separation, she’s even made the choice to drop her married name in favor of her maiden one—a choice that immediately reignites the conflict between her and her husband.

What makes Holly interesting is that her arc mirrors John’s. Like her husband, she starts off with the same misbelief that she’s in the right—a belief rooted in the same pride. As Holly Genarro, she projects the same rough, impenetrable exterior that her husband has embraced. But as the story progresses, she slowly sees the lengths her husband is willing to go to save her and her coworkers. Suddenly the need to be right is no longer important and she slowly transitions from Ms. Genarro to Mrs. McClane.

Give Them Thematic Arguments

Write scenes where your side characters directly influence your protagonist with words and actions that either reinforce their misbelief or challenge them with the truth. These vital moments serve to make your character’s transition more organic and realistic.

After setting off a blast that rocks the foundation of Nakatomi Tower, McClane checks in with Powell to get an idea of the damage the building has sustained. Deputy Dwayne T. Robinson interrupts their playful exchange and proceeds to berate McClane for his reckless actions. 

In this quick scene, Robinson’s character reinforces the lie that McClane believes about himself—that he’s not needed or appreciated. Once Powell gets the radio back, he quickly delivers the thematic truth that John needs to hear. Powell tells John that he’s loved. Ironically, this is precisely what John needs to hear from his wife, Holly. For the moment, Powell’s declaration of the truth is enough to encourage him to stay in the fight.

Give Them Defining Moments

While your protagonist should certainly remain in the spotlight, don’t hesitate to give your side characters their own defining moments. Giving them a chance to shine allows you to show just how vital they are to your story.

With Hans Gruber and his goons defeated, John and Holly can finally rekindle their love for one another. As they exit the building, the story transitions to a resolution designed to tie up all the loose ends. And in one of the most memorable post-climactic scenes, Al Powell gets his second chance at redemption.

Try imagining the film without this scene. It would have still featured a great climax, but something would have been missing. This scene completes Powell’s redemptive arc and solidifies him as one of the most significant side characters of all time.

Summing it up

Balancing your supporting cast with your protagonist won’t be easy, but it’s worth the effort. Consider how they will influence the main storyline and explore how they are influenced by your story’s thematic truth. 

Use these tips to help start creating supportive side characters. Consider their purpose and explore how to use their unique perspectives to add depth and color to your narrative. Have fun delving into their backstories and exploring possible character arcs that complement your protagonist’s main arc. Enjoy the process as you keep striving toward your goals. And above all, keep writing!

Until next time,