Vince Gillian - ‘Breaking Bad’
Perhaps my favourite of the key elements that I’ve explored, second only to Motivation through ‘The Prince’, is Consequences or Cause and Effect. Breaking Bad stands as a masterful study of consequences. What begins as a desperate bid for control quickly spirals into a brutal descent, with every choice the protagonist makes rippling into unforeseen, devastating consequences.
The show carefully portrays how conflict transforms both self-perception and relationships, capturing the irreversible effects of one’s actions as they can upend their life and the lives of those around.
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At the heart of Breaking Bad is Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher turned meth dealer. Initially, Walter’s motivation stems from a desire to secure his family’s future after his terminal cancer diagnosis, pushing him into criminal territory. This decision creates a conflict between his lawful identity and his new life in the drug scene, where every choice has a consequence.
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As Walter becomes more involved in the criminal world, the consequences of his actions escalate. His moral rationale starts to disappear, leading him into a cycle of lies, violence and manipulation. This moral conflict and by extension, its ripple effects on his character, drives the plot forward and shows how his early choices turn into life altering outcomes for himself and those around him.
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Walter’s actions affect everyone close to him, from his family to his partner, Jesse. The personal and external consequences highlight how conflict has a lasting, destructive impact that extends beyond the individual, drawing attention to the broader, often unintended effects of one’s actions.
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In stories where characters face challenges, the moral consequences can lead to mainly three things: Guilt, Redemption or Corruption. A character who betrays another character another character for personal gain may experience regret and a crisis. This can create tension and drama as the character becomes internally conflicted with the consequences of their actions.
In this Audio Log, I talk about a scene from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood that handles this theme of morals and consequences quite well. Greed is overcome with guilt as a direct consequence of his actions and is set on a path of redemption.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz8g2lcfzU0
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Q) How do consequences shape the trajectory of a story?
A) Say that there is a character who suffers the consequences of their actions. They may rethink their goals, creating to new challenges or even opportunities. This acts like that can thicken the plot.
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Q) In what ways can consequences affect audience perception of characters?
A) Characters that go through harsh consequences can gain sympathy for the audience or even hate depending on the context or relatability. A villain facing consequences might be seen as deserving their fate, while a flawed hero undergoing similar struggles may be viewed with compassion. This dynamic can lead to complex character portrayals.
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Q) How can the unpredictability of consequences enhance the tension in a narrative?
A) The unpredictability of consequences can heighten tension in a story by creating suspense. When characters make choices without knowing what can happen down the line, it adds an element of risk to their actions.
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