Evolution in Character Development

[Power Shot]

I was thinking yesterday, about some of the characters I created in my fictions, and I thought about their original designs and how they came to become the way they are through evolution in their development. I was wondering how other authors created their own characters through trial and error. Sort of like this:

Chronos

Original Name: Shades
Original Concept: A character designed as a superhero, desgined for speed and basically a clone of Wolverine.
Original Powers: Was built with claws on both hands and feet. These claws, unlike Wolverine's, were switchblade-like in nature, which would swing out from metal cuts in the fingers and thumb. Required special gloves and boots to keep them in place when in civilian form. These claws could not touch Shades, and simply passed through his body if they made contact.

Evolution of the Character-

Shades eventually transformed when I figured out it would be unlikely that the character would not be realistic. Why would his skin simply admit only his claws, and where would the skin go? That was where I designed the MetaSkin to explain how he could tolerate being touched. The claws turned into the metal weapons that Chronos could call on.

The original character wore sunglasses to mask his identity, so I honored the character by giving Chronos' MetaSkin a second effect, which would allow him to see things from other objects. This required a reason, so I created Chronos with the idea that he would not have eyes, giving in more to his personality, and forming the iron hard emotionless metalhead.

Well, I figured this would be a good idea for a thread.

 

[BirthdayPirate]

Most of my characters start out as people I know. Or, more likely, people I've met. I tend to put in the faces of "acquaintances" and then try to guess what their personality is. Sometimes I end up with a carbon copy without even knowing the person, and other times some of my closest friends end up as polar opposites. This process works well if you change the names, but every once in a while someone figures out that they are the villian of one of my stories and I have to talk my way out of it.

 

[Wandering Rhythmical Phoenix]

I was just thinking about that myself. I was talking to a friend about it too.

Yuki (Always was his name)
Original Personality: Gung-ho Playboy hero. Sort of a Rebel (Witch got transferred to another chareter, Yuuki)
Changed to: Kinda mousy, Willing after 'Thinking' about it, accidental hero. A Lover, not a fighter.
His out fit never changed, except after the personality change, his outfit got turned darker colors from the Neon Green it was.

Sera (always was)
Originally: A Go-getter Happy go lucky, Kinda girl you would shoot yourself in the head if you REALY had to spend time with her girl. All to willing to travel with Yuki.
Changed to: A sorta "Punk" Girl, Travels with Yuki as more of a big sister than a... Stalker o0. She also got a lot smarter.

Sapphire Yuuki, and the rest of the "OC" Cast got added later, as after thoughts.

 

[katiekitten]

This is a nice topic!

I had an RP character, Sanders. He was originally going to be a male version of the character in TEBKoD, (I'll let you lot guess what that stands for. XD) but he ended up becoming... older. Different. A lot more sarcastic, and, as my friend Ej puts it, an old complaining guy. Who can be funny. XD

 

[Ledian_X]

This could take a while. My characters have changed considerably since 1996 because well, I rewrote my first Starbolts book a while ago. I kept some ideas and took in some brand new ones because I write differently and I've been told my writing has evolved with time. My family friend that I mentioned in the interview and wanted "Manta Man" said that recently when she read my current story. Anyway, here's how time changed these heroes:

Manta:

1996: The 1996 version of Manta was basically more sarcastic than he is now. He was loose and he had the same powers he has now. The armor though came on via a switch on a belt and unfolded on. His personality was the same but he wasn't the leader he is today. Not yet. He loved Jenna after the first mission and they hit it off well.

2006: Manta now is a tried and true leader of the Starbolts. His armor changed to being regular "metallic cloth" that you can put on. There's no belt switch or anything. The helmet's eyes are a little smaller too. But, that's okay. In the rewrite, M'anta and his siblings crashed into Jenna's pool, meeting the Starbolts instead of in 1996 when the Agents themselves came to the house because Manta saved some people and Stan Whitefox followed him.

I also gave him more of an Uncle Ben/Peter relationship with his dad which uunfortunately...played out kind of similer.

Mateo:

1996: In 1996, Mateo did not have wings. He flew around though because of the energy he produced. He did have a ring, leather jacket and an attraction to a certain Aquan princess. His ring also belong to someone else with the monniker Saturn. He was also more combatttive with the elder Agents of S.T.A.R., who were the group's mentors.

2006: I rewrote the first story in 2000 and I decided that Mateo was too much like the Green Lantern. So, I decided to give Mateo wings, rewrote his origin and had him born with them. It fit and I had changed the ring around to be a release valve for his powers.

Jenna:

1996: In 1996, Jenna didn't have the same powers she had now. She had enhanced agility and a suit of armor. Same personality and was a born leader from the get-go. Same appearance, too. But, she needed a spark or something to drive her to prove herself. I got an idea from a friend and when I did the rewrite...

2006: Jenna is now a pyrokinetic after the rewrite. She also controls wind to an extent and her personality while being a leader is still sarcastic, I gave her more of a history and more of a connection with M'anta. She was raped and that unfortunate event added to her character and it sparked her powers.

Her flame powers torched the school and that in turn caused Stan Whitefox to come in and form the Starbolts. Kevin was also there but he wasn't before.

Aquita:

1996: Aquita wasn't a singer! Nope. She hated being called a princess though. And that never changed. She didn't mind it on reguular occassions but she was a bitmore older than the other two siblings of hers. Same basic powers but a bit more quiet.

2006: After the rewrite, Aquita had an attraction to Mateo because I wanted the sky and the sea to hook up. She also became a singer, her hair became green, too. She also became more closer in age to the twins, M'anta and Shrall. She became connected to Mateo though some aspects from the early story came in to play: her suitor problem.

She also became more of a fierce fighter and good friend. She has a soft side and man can she sing.

Kevin:

1996: Kevin in 1996 had a bit of a different past and his psionic bow and arrow was psionic darts. In fact, his code name was Dartz. Kevin was still super smart but he wasn't as great as he is now.

2006: This Kevin is a much smarter version. After the rewrite, I gave him more of a past because he was born blind and given ocular implants. I gave him a father who killed his mother and that caused Jenna's family to take him in since they were cousins.

Marcus:

1996: Marcus was white and went by the codename Zoom. He was on another team of heroes called the Guardians. I didn't use him much but the same personality was there.

2006: Marcus in the rewrite is black, had the same powers and became more funny than any speedster before him. I changed him to be black because I needed more racial diversity in the team. I also added him to the Starbolts from the get-go.

Angela:

1996: Angela was a metahuman who went by the name Comet and was Mateo's younger sister. Her brothers Miguel and Jaime werent heroes. As Comet, Angela was fast like a comet, shot energy and generated force fields.

2006: Rewrite Angela is the same person. Though in my story before the current one, I transformed her from being what she was in 1996 to being an angellic being that can force the truth out of someone, shoot energy and create an angellic form. The rewrite Angela also has a mega crush on rewrite Kevin.

Shrall:

1996: Sarcastic, loudmouth, opinionated wiseass living in the shadow of his brother, M'anta. Didn't have powers.

2006:Sarcastic, loudmouth, opinionated wiseass living in the shadow of his brother, M'anta. But this time he respects his brother and had mimicing powers.

Dennis:

1996: Dennis had a symbiont that created his armor. Same personality, though and history.

2006: Dennis's suit is all him. No symbiont. It's a bio-mesh he creates himself. It's also a different color than what it was.

Crystal:

1996: Not a woman of the evening in case you read the story. She was shy and conservative. Same powers.

2006: She became a wild-child. She slept with anyone at any time of day. She became like that because of something in her past. Will she get better? Who knows?

Well, there you have it! TK and Kaori were made in the re-write. So, that's whty they weren't added. The major plots have changed too. I've also changed the king and queen. even the planet too. Everything you read of Starbolts now is different in some respects to the stuff I wrote a decade ago. Some stuff though is still canon. Though, I decide that! I have that power!

LX

 

[The Great Butler]

At the start of my first fic, Rich was a troubled person. After all, his parents and the woman he loved had been killed in a seemingly random incident. But years after the fact, when he finally got a chance to confront the villains behind the attack he slowly became more confident. That confidence snapped and broke down several times though, especially when Nascour told Anabel that Rich was an ex-Cipher Admin and when Maria revealed herself as the mastermind of the original incident. Going deeper, Rich's heart was thoroughly closed at the start. He couldn't fathom letting go of Maria then, but as he travelled with Anabel her influence and support slowly opened him back up and they fell for each other.