8-Part Story Structure: Fifth Sequence

Sequence 5: The Calm Before the Storm

After pushing the protagonist to his or her limits at the end of the fourth sequence, there needs to be a moment of calm where our hero can rebuild his strength.  Often times, this is the part in the story where the hero is at his lowest.  He’s lost something tantamount.  He feels like he can’t go on, but knows that he must.  Very often, there is someone at his side who is there to remind him not only of his duty, but also of what he must do.

This scene is essential, because it allows us to empathize with the characters in a way that helps us to feel like we truly know them.  We’ve seen them through several highs and lows, but now we’re seeing them handling their greatest failure.  Do they force through it reluctantly?  Or are they unflinching?  If you want to deepen the audience understanding of the character, you must show what happens when they are at their lowest.

This sequence is often short, but unbelievably powerful, and memorable if done right.  And to illustrate this, let’s take a look at the Christopher Nolan film, The Dark Knight.

In the film, Bruce Wayne was resigned to give himself to the police in an effort to stem The Joker’s tide of murders across Gotham.  But at the last moment, Harvey Dent took his place, claiming that he himself was The Batman, and offering himself up to be arrested.

This leads to a difficult chase as Bruce, as Batman, must rescue Harvey from The Joker’s attempt to destroy the police convoy, and at the same time capture the Joker once and for all.

But of course, nothing with The Joker is ever so simple.  After a powerful scene in the interrogation room, Batman is only able to save Harvey, during which time the former DA is horribly disfigured, and his childhood friend Rachel is obliterated in a violent warehouse explosion.

It is at this time that we see Bruce in his home, clutching the Batman cowl, and peering with agony into the events that his becoming the Dark Knight has brought upon him and Gotham.

Bruce Wayne: Alfred…

Alfred: Yes, Master Wayne?

Bruce Wayne: Did I bring this on her? I was meant to inspire good. Not…madness. Not…death.

Alfred: You have inspired good. But you spat in the faces of Gotham’s criminals; didn’t you think there might be some casualties? Things were always gonna get worse before they got better.

Bruce Wayne: But Rachel, Alfred…

Alfred: Rachel believed in what you stood for. What we stand for. Gotham needs you.

Bruce Wayne: No, Gotham needs its true hero…and I let that murdering psychopath blow him half to hell.

Alfred: Which is why, for now, they’re gonna have to make do with you.

Alfred acts as Bruce’s conscience, telling him what he already knows, comforting him in his time of need, but not allowing him simply to give up.  Bruce must take up the mantle of The Batman, and he can’t simply let The Joker win.  Now the calm is over, and the storm of climax is just in front of us.

The fifth sequence is about the protagonist gathering his forces.  It’s a point in the film that is often called the “False Ending”.  It looks like the antagonist has won, and that all hope is lost.  If the hero were to give up right now, the story would be complete, and the ending would be such that the villain had won. Now, of course, that would leave some questions unanswered, but the audience at this point should get a sense of calm, and the action should take a lull.

But, of course, it’s not going to stay that way for long.

Summary

- This is the lowest point of the story for the protagonist.

- This is truly a calm before the storm of the climax, where the protagonist must muster his forces for one last, final strike against the antagonist.

- Often, other characters will act as the protagonist’s conscience, showing them what they must do to overcome this seemingly insurmountable enemy.

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