If two characters are blood relations will it seem coincidental?
I have a character who is a seasoned CIA agent and is part of the task force that is bringing in my MC. I have another character, a semi retired assassin who was one of my MC’s instructors.
I want to make this semi retired assassin the great uncle of the CIA agent but am concerned it might seem too convenient.
I want the relationship since it will allow the MC, who doesn’t really like or respect this one agent, to mellow towards him out of respect to the great uncle.
My question is, would it seem too unlikely and therefore coincidental and a possible cheat to have this older assassin (never caught) related to a CIA agent?
This post was sourced from https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/40597. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
1 answer
I think it is too convenient, and an implausible motivation. At least in my culture (USA) great uncles don't get any particular respect, heck I didn't have any particular respect for all of my own aunts and uncles; they were a few pretty shady characters. A thief, a prostitute, a serial womanizer cheating on multiple wives.
I would suggest some real reason for grudging respect: Have your seasoned CIA agent tell your MC that not only did this "assassin" save his life, but the lives of twenty school age girls kidnapped for the sex trade, by single-handedly infiltrating the compound where they were being held and killing the six mobsters holding them. So sure, he's a shady guy that you think has done some wicked sh*t, but maybe you don't know the whole story, and what the alternatives were. It's a good lesson for getting into the spy trade, good people can do awful things when doing nothing would result in something horrifically worse.
0 comment threads
0 comment threads