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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/48042
License name: CC BY-SA 4.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Conflict is one of the most important things in driving a story. I’ve been working on my particular story for a while now, and I finally seem to have worked out a good plot, and by that, I mean the big problem which needs to be solved. Only, I genuinely don’t know how to solve the problem.

I think it’s because the issues are with morals and characters colliding, rather than solid events. I’ll quickly explain the situation.

Character A has been presented for the majority of the book as a villain. He’s done awful things like wiping out a bunch of people (revenge motivated) but eventually he can’t stand himself for it, so he’s like “I’m gonna change” and swears never to take another life. He is also in possession of over powered magic.

Character B is presented as the hero who will take down the villain, but actually he’s a pompous, selfish, power hungry, narcissistic guy, so the story questions whether or not you should even be rooting for him.

We are left with two pretty bad people. Personally, I want Character A to prevail, because I’m a sucker for redemption arcs, but to do that, he’d have to break his promise and kill Character B. I would have Character A let himself be killed in a self sacrificial situation, but that leaves another character in an awful position, I don’t know how to go into it without another five paragraphs of explaining.

My question is this. How do I resolve conflict if none of the options seem satisfying or correct?

Original score: 17