CHARACTER MOTIVATION THESAURUS

GETTING REVENGE (DARK)



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HELPFUL TIP:

To understand why your character is driven toward a certain goal, get to know their positive and negative traits, as well as any significant emotional wounds that might be motivating them. Then you can explore the various kinds of conflict that could block them as they move toward their goal.
NOTES:
While revenge can be a motivation for protagonists and antagonists, the former usually recognize it as a false goal and will instead go after what they need most (to heal from the past). Antagonists, however, are blinded by rage and rarely achieve the required inner growth to see revenge as a hollow goal that won't fill the hole inside them.

FORMS THIS MIGHT TAKE:
Stripping a rival of their power
Killing a rival (or someone they love)
Destroying everything a rival loves
Maiming a rival so their deepest desires will always be out of reach
Stealing a rival's wealth to leave them with nothing
Bringing down a corporation, group, government, etc. regardless of the cost to others
Stripping someone of their reputation
Taking what the rival wants most so they can never have it for themselves

HUMAN NEED DRIVING THE GOAL (INNER MOTIVATION):
There are five basic human needs that, when missing from a character's life, could motivate them to pursue this goal. The following needs are all possibilities, but only one of them should be the primary driver for any given character. For more information on the relationship between human needs and outer motivations, please see​ this ​Character Motivation tutorial.

Self-Actualization: A character who feels mistreated may believe that they can't move forward until revenge has been exacted. Their salvation and ability to become whole becomes tied to achieving this goal.
Esteem and Recognition: A character who was stripped of their accomplishments or had their reputation sullied may believe revenge is the only way to reclaim their standing with others and to reclaim their lost power.

HOW THE CHARACTER MAY PREPARE FOR THIS GOAL:
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POSSIBLE SACRIFICES OR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GOAL:
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ROADBLOCKS WHICH COULD PREVENT THIS GOAL FROM BEING ACHIEVED:
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TALENTS & SKILLS THAT WILL HELP THE CHARACTER ACHIEVE THIS GOAL:
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WHAT'S AT STAKE IF THIS GOAL ISN'T MET?
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