RELATIONSHIP THESAURUS

RIVALS



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HELPFUL TIP:

Relationships are part of the very fabric of your character’s life. How well or poorly they get along with others oftentimes comes down to personality, so carefully consider the positive traits and negative traits of your story’s cast. Another factor that can pull characters together or create friction is motivation, so keep each individual’s goal—both at the scene and story level—in mind as you write.
DESCRIPTION:
Rivals are competitors who are going after the same thing, but there's an emotional investment that makes the outcome more personal. Rivals can be individuals or groups (teams, businesses, etc.) and are highly motivated to defeat each other.

For information on other antagonistic relationships, see FRENEMIES and ENEMIES.

RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS:
Below are a wide range of dynamics that may accompany this relationship. Use the ideas that suit your story and work best for your characters to bring about and/or resolve the necessary conflict.

Respecting each other and the skills or values they display
Trying to outdo each other but not resenting their success
Socializing outside of the competition
One party using their admiration for the rival's talents to push themselves to try harder
Supporting the rival when it matters—e.g., a political rival helping with cleanup when his opponent's house floods
The parties engaging in friendly teasing and light trash-talking
Coming together against an outside threat—e.g., working together to raise money for an underfunded rec center
Keeping "score" and using it to motivate the other to work harder
Either party taking the rivalry too far and losing perspective
Either party seeking to sabotage the other
One person encouraging the other to take risks, hoping they overreach and make a mistake
Either person harboring an unhealthy obsession with their rival
The parties being openly hostile toward each other
The rivalry taking over a team or group, creating dysfunction and chaos

CHALLENGES THAT COULD THREATEN THE STATUS QUO:
Either party suffering an injury, illness, or personal crisis that puts them at a disadvantage
Another highly-competent rival entering the scene
Either party losing their coach, mentor, funding or other advantage
The deadline for the determining event (a race, business meeting, etc.) being moved up
Rules changing that makes it harder for either person to win
Personal problems arising that keep either party from being able to prepare
One party suffering a tragedy that generates empathy from their rival, changing the way the rival views them

WOUNDS THAT COULD FACTOR INTO THE RELATIONSHIP:
A LEARNING DISABILITY, A PHYSICAL DISFIGUREMENT, BEING BULLIED, BEING HUMILIATED BY OTHERS, BEING RAISED BY PARENTS WHO LOVED CONDITIONALLY, BEING REJECTED BY ONE'S PEERS, CRACKING UNDER PRESSURE, EXPERIENCING POVERTY, GROWING UP IN THE SHADOW OF A SUCCESSFUL SIBLING, NOT BEING A PRIORITY GROWING UP, PREJUDICE OR DISCRIMINATION

POSSIBLE CONFLICT SCENARIOS:
A COMPETITOR SHOWING UP, PHYSICAL EXHAUSTION, MAKING A CRUCIAL MISTAKE AT WORK, A HEALTH ISSUE CROPPING UP, REALIZING ONE IS AT A DISADVANTAGE, LACKING AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE, BEING SADDLED WITH UNEXPECTED RESPONSIBILITY, NEPOTISM OR FAVORITISM, BEING INJURED, BEING OUTMATCHED, A DEADLINE BEING MOVED UP, DISCOVERING AN OUTCOME HAS BEEN FIXED, EXPERIENCING DISCRIMINATION, DROPPING THE BALL, HAVING A PANIC ATTACK, BEING GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHEAT, PUBLIC HUMILIATION, BEING SABOTAGED, BEING OFFERED AN EASY WAY OUT, BEING UNPREPARED, NOT ACHIEVING A COVETED GOAL, BEING CUT FROM A TEAM, NOT BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY, BEING DISCREDITED, BEING PHYSICALLY MARRED BEFORE AN IMPORTANT EVENT, FACING A CHALLENGE BEYOND ONE'S SKILL OR KNOWLEDGE, LOSING AN ALLY, LOSING ONE'S FUNDING, NEEDING TO SABOTAGE SOMEONE TO WIN, RULES CHANGING TO ONE'S DISADVANTAGE, BUREAUCRACY TYING ONE'S HANDS, EXPERIENCING A CRISIS OF SELF-DOUBT

CONFLICTING DESIRES THAT CAN IMPAIR THE RELATIONSHIP:
One party using the rivalry to challenge themselves while the other wants to personally destroy the competition
One party placing limits on how far they'll go to win while the other has no limitations
One person wanting to win for their team or community while the other is looking for personal accolades
One party being driven by personal motivations while the other is being pressured to win by someone else

CLASHING PERSONALITY TRAIT COMBINATIONS:
Unethical and Honorable
Temperamental and Hostile
Perfectionist and Talented
Reckless and Disciplined

NEGATIVE OUTCOMES OF FRICTION:
Either person losing control of their emotions and making a costly mistake
Going too far with the rivalry and hurting someone
A lack of judgment that results in big consequences (being kicked out of a league for bad behavior, losing an important relationship over the rivalry, etc.)
Either party crossing a moral line that can't be uncrossed
The rivalry turning into a vendetta
Having tunnel vision and ignoring other rivals, losing sight of priorities, or missing beneficial opportunities 
Either person becoming obsessed with the other

FICTIONAL SCENARIOS THAT COULD TURN THESE CHARACTERS INTO ALLIES:
A threat emerging that impacts them both, such as the arrival of a new competitor who has no scruples or is stealing the market share
A threat to the organization funding their activity that requires joint fundraising and promotion
Finding common ground (their children becoming best friends, spouses with chronic illnesses, a charity they're both passionate about, etc.)

WAYS THIS RELATIONSHIP MAY LEAD TO POSITIVE GROWTH:
One person growing their skills to match their rival's
One party admiring the rival's focus, organization, training, or education, and dedicating themselves to becoming more like them
The rivalry generating buzz and reviving interest in the sport or activity
A rivalry bringing together a team and increasing productivity
The rivalry generating innovation and creativity as each side tries to come out on top
Either party learning to see the other as a real person with real problems, worthy of empathy and respect

THEMES AND SYMBOLS THAT CAN BE EXPLORED THROUGH THIS RELATIONSHIP:
A FALL FROM GRACE, A QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE, BETRAYAL, CROSSROADS, ENDINGS, FRIENDSHIP, OBSTACLES, PERSEVERANCE, PRIDE, RECOGNITION, SACRIFICE, TEAMWORK, TRANSFORMATION, UNITY, VANITY