S1E5_ Part C: Character Design & Structuring | 1/2 - ”The Transformation Game, Are You Still You?”_UNFILTERED

SHOW NOTE

 

Have you ever wondered what kind of character you would be if your life was a fiction story and you were the main protagonist? What kind of rounded character will you make?

 

Involves Fun Exercise! 

RECAP

The journey so far: Betty and Rita have explored the anatomy of rounded characters, dissecting complexity through flaws, vulnerabilities, and consequences. They've examined how BoJack Horseman's shame-driven choices and how rare moments of selflessness reveal profound character depth. The true test? Whether audiences can deeply understand a character's actions, motivations, and transformation throughout their development.

 

INTRO

After diving deep into the ocean of character depth and fighting their way back to shore with BoJack's psyche, Betty and Rita are doing something different. This episode is dedicated to YOU—the audience. It's a "run-of-the-mill" trip down memory lane designed to remind you of your sweetest victories and help you see yourself as the rounded character you truly are.

 

PART A - What Type of Rounded Character Are You?

The Transformation Game: Betty introduces a mathematical (yes, math!) approach to analyzing your life's character arc. Through a series of questions about relocations, physical changes, life experiences, and major decisions, you'll calculate your transformation score.

The Three Character Types:

• Discreet Dynamic Character (Score: 1-4): Like Luffy or Wonder Woman—you go through changes but maintain your core identity. You're the rock that influences others while staying fundamentally yourself.

• Quintessential Dynamic Character (Score: 5): Like Harry Potter or Arya Stark—you experience average transformation and growth, evolving in balance with your experiences.

• Unequivocal Dynamic Character (Score: 6-10): Like Daenerys Targaryen—you've undergone dramatic transformation. The person you were at the beginning is vastly different from who you are now.

The Reveal: Rita scores a 7 (unequivocal), while Betty scores a 4 (discreet). The results spark fascinating conversations about stubbornness, self-perception, and that friend from primary school who insisted Betty "hasn't changed a bit" after 10 years!

 

PART B - Why Transformation Matters in Fiction - The Parallel with Reality

The Brutal Questions: When we reach the end of our road, we face questions about impact: How much did we make a difference? What memory did we leave behind? Did we summon hurricanes of bad experiences or rainbows of positive ones?

The Universal Truth: Change is the only constant. From ancient humans living to 1,000 years to modern shifting timelines of adulthood, transformation defines the human experience. We are judged by our actions—and so are characters.

The Six Life Phases: Fetus, infant, child, adolescent, adult, elderly—with birth and death marking the spectrum. But there's no one-size-fits-all timeline, as cultural norms shift dramatically across generations.

 

PART C - Types of Character Transformation

1. Quality Transformation:

• Internal: Changes in beliefs, values, personality (Example: L from Death Note)
• External: Physical changes, status shifts (Example: Cinderella's rags-to-riches journey)

2. Phase Transformation:

• Flat Arc: Character doesn't change but transforms others (Example: Luffy, Naruto, Aang)
• Dramatic Arc: Character undergoes extreme personal change (Example: Eren from Attack on Titan)

3. Consequential Transformation:

• Positive: Character becomes better (Example: Pain from Naruto)
• Negative: Character degenerates (Example: Light Yagami from Death Note)
• Neutral: Character experiences ups and downs that balance out (Example: Itachi from Naruto, Bojack Horseman)

 

PART D - What Drives Character Transformation?

The Five Catalysts:

1. Conflict: Characters must go through *gbas gbos (Nigerian slang for hardship)
2. Personal Revelation: Deep insights that trigger change
3. Confronting the Past: Facing traumas, mistakes, or forgotten truths
4. Environmental Change: Complete shift in surroundings (isekai, anyone?)
5. Pivotal Moments: Life-changing turning points (discovering powers, finding a million euros)

The Great Debate

 Would you pick up a bag containing a million euros? Betty and Rita explore the moral, spiritual, and practical implications—with hilarious tangents about Nigerian superstitions, squid games, and whether that money might turn you into a yam! (LOL) 

 

CONCLUSION

With the groundwork laid, Betty and Rita prepare to dissect BoJack Horseman's complex, messy, and neutral transformational journey in the next episode. But first, they want to know: What's YOUR transformation score?

 

OUTRO

Your Turn: Did the game reflect your journey? Are you The Rock, The Reflector, or The Butterfly? Drop a comment and share your score.

Remember: The best things are often hidden in plain sight.

 

 

 

What's Next?

In the epsiode, we'll undertake the ultimate deep dive into BoJack Horseman's character. Considering how complex and deep Bojack is a protagonist, this will be quite the dissection that only your favorite hosts like Betty and Rita could take pleasure in doing... Don't miss it!

 

Subscribe & Follow

Available on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Podcasts.

For more quality full unfiltered experience, explore our website, leave a comment, and let us know what you think.

We'll see you on the next page. Bye!