Day 4 Assignments

[Ben Ather]

Subject line: Ben’s Character Story Lines

What I learned doing this assignment is

I have never thought of creating character story lines before I start working on the script. I just jump in there and start writing, but this is different. It is better. I now know where my character story start, what happens in the middle till the end. I believe this will make writing easier because I have already thought everything out.

[Wendy Weising]

Wendy Weising’s Character Story Lines

What I learned doing this assignment is that the my characters have different starting and stopping arcs.

Jane

Beginning: She tries to be the perfect mother, but her kids don’t respect her or listen to her. She tries to be a good wife, but because she hates conflict, her husband has to fight all her battles for her. He talks down to her because he thinks he’s superior to her.

Turning Point: She goes to the mailbox, is hit by a car, and wakes up in a hospital, where the doctors tell her that she has no family.

Midpoint: Ava takes off Jane’s restraints. Jane sneaks off and enters a forbidden area of the hospital. She sees doctors removing parts of patients’ brains.

Turning Point 2: Ava and Polly tell her that they are not in a hospital.

Major conflict: Dr. Jones confirms that they are in a holding facility, waiting to be processed into brain serum. She tells Jane that she does have kids but that they are in another, waiting to be processed. The only way she’s leaving is dead.

End: She decides that she must find a way out of the hospital and save her kids.

Polly

Beginning: She is an extremely intelligent and introverted hoarder who hates change. She is a patient who cleans the hospital. She steals things from Dr. Jones.

Turning Point: Polly gives Ava a key that she has stolen to unlock Jane’s restraints.

Midpoint: After Jane enters the forbidden room, Dr. Jones takes her anger out on Polly and Ava. She tells Polly that she must spy on Jane for her; otherwise she will become brain serum. Polly is terrified.

Turning Point 2: She spies on Jane but continues to steal from Dr. Jones.

Major conflict: She wants to escape her situation, but she doesn’t know if she can leave her hoard and what she has always known.

End: She gives Jane a stolen book, in which she has written, “Don’t believe them. They’re lying.”

Ava

Beginning: Ava is a teenage patient who serves meals and sings.

Turning Point: Even knowing the horrible consequences that she will face, she tells Polly to unlock Jane’s restraints.

Middle: After Jane finds the brain room and shuts down, Dr. Jones takes her anger out on Polly and Ava. She forces Ava to entertain her friends.

Turning Point: A horrible male guest takes Ava into a bedroom for sex.

Main conflict: She wants Jane to escape so that she can go with her, but she is afraid of Dr. Jones.

End: She decides to go with Jane, wherever she goes.

Dr. Zyn

Beginning: Alien doctor in the hospital. He gives more attention to Jane.

Turning Point: Dr. Zyn recognizes Jane when he enters her room. He lies to her to calm her down so that she won’t be a target for Dr. Jones.

Middle: When Jane finds the brain room and shuts down, he wants to help her because he loves her. Dr. Jones finds out and makes him her mate. She threatens to kill Jane if she doesn’t comply.

Turning Point: Dr. Zyn thinks he’s alone when he kisses the sleeping Jane and tells her that he loves her, but Polly is watching.

Main Conflict: After she tells Dr. Jones, Dr. Jones confronts and reminds him of their deal. Dr. Zyn acts like Dr. Jones’s loving mate to protect Jane, but secretly sends gifts to her through Polly.

End: When Polly confides in him that she might escape with Jane, he decides to help, whatever it means for him.

Dr. Jones

Beginning: She is in charge of the hospital and actively cares for patients.

Turning Point: Dr. Zyn approaches her about taking the restraints off Jane, and it infuriates her. She has a rival for the loyalty of the others. She regains control by telling him no.

Middle: When she finds out that the others have been helping Jane, she uses Jane’s finding the brain room as an excuse to force the others to do what she wants.

Turning Point: In her private rooms, Dr. Jones cries. She cannot get their love.

Main conflict: If she cannot win their love and loyalty, she will fight to control them.

End: Even though Dr. Zyn loves Jane, Dr. Jones has him by her side and in her bed.

[Timothy Barley]

Tim Barley’s Character Story Lines

What I learned from doing this assignment is that it was hard to get back onto schedule, but this helped out quite a bit and was very involved to create what will be a great pilot.

Characters’ beginning, middle and end story:

Alex:

Alex is a bored office drone confronted by his neighbor, new office mates and a stranger who all claim his is something more.

Beginning: Working in a boring office job.

Turning Point: He wishes he had more sugar for his coffee on the way home and he is attacked by dark malevolent forces. His neighbor saves him.

Midpoint: Next day, Feenix tells him what he is.

Turning Point 2: Neighbor shows up. So does new worker.

Major Conflict: After they leave, Edris shows up with more information about who he is as his power manifests itself more.

Ending: He beings to realize that he is something that he has been ignoring his whole life.

(Dilemma): TBD…

Feenix:

Feenix arrives in Alex’s office and realizes that she needs to protect him better than her brother has.

Beginning: She’s new to Alex’s office

Turning Point: Walks out with Alex one evening, following him.

Midpoint: She sees that her brother almost let Alex die.

Turning Point 2: She makes herself known to Alex and her brother, upsetting Allistar.

Major Conflict: Finding out that Edris is also in town, she begins to realize what Alex is.

Ending: She sees Alex as more than something she has to protect.

(Dilemma): TBD…

Edris:

Edris is on the other side of the world when he gets an assignment in LA; when he gets there, and sees the others, he begins to realize the gift he has been given.

Beginning: Is on another assignment in one part of the world.

Turning Point: Gets a new assignment in LA: Alex.

Midpoint: He meets all the people around Alex and comes up with a plan to get him to learn about himself. He feels honored and selfish to get Alex on his side.

Turning Point 2: He realizes that Feenix is in town. His long, long, long hurt feelings manifest in a myriad of plans to hurt her or Alex as he manipulates others.

Major Conflict: HIs old feelings for Feenix and the pressure to bring Alex to his side…

Ending: Leave his with a cold, dark master plan.

(Dilemma): TBD…

Billy:

A big, but meek kid, Billy is the office intern. Quiet, but knowledgeable, he observes the newest people around and tries to get close to Alex.

Beginning: Billy is just an intern with a lot of knowledge at his command.

Turning Point: He becomes aware of the newcomers in town.

Midpoint: He observes and notes everything about Alex. And now Feenix.

Turning Point 2: He observes the attack on Alex and the arrival of Edris into town.

Major Conflict: His notes are found by someone and he has to dispose of them before they tell.

Ending: He types in a report on a computer that looks like it has been around forever and has evolved and mutated for about 100,000 years.

(Dilemma): Who is he?

PILOT EPISODE OUTLINE (1ST VERSION)

ACT 1:

Beginning: Alex is working in his boring office job. Feenix arrives as the new hire to Alex’s office. Billy asks if he wants to get together with the others in the office.

Turning Point: He wishes he had more sugar for his coffee on the way home and he is attacked by dark malevolent forces. Allistar shows up and barely saves him. High above the street, Feenix watches, seething. Across the street, someone else (Billy) looks on.

ACT 2:

Essence: Edris gets his new assignment and travels to LA. While Feenix corners Alex in the office with information about him and his family. Billy wants to be part of the conversation with information that both find odd.

Turning point: Alex returns home to find his neighbor waiting, who comes in and fills him in on his family legacy. Feenix shows up and they have a fight that gets wild. Outside someone is watching.

ACT 3:

Essence: Edris arrives in LA and begins to make trouble.

Turning point: Alex finally gets Feenix and Allistar to quit fighting and between their family squabbling, they two of them tell him about his past and who he is what he needs to do.

ACT 4:

Essence: Alex faces the truth about his power and navigates his office in a new light.

Turning point: Alex has to now figure out who wants to help him and who wants to kill him or worse. Edris shows up and lays out his side of the story.

ACT 5:

Essence: Alex enters the world of the unseen to learn more about who he is as Edris arrives in LA and tells him his side of things.

Turning point: Alex accepts that his life is no longer something he can hide from. Feenix and Allistar tell him he has to speak to someone else. Billy types on his old computer…

[Laurie Brown]

(Laurie Brown’s) Character Story Lines

What I learned from this assignment is to listen and follow instructions in spite of massive self doubt that it will turn out. It did.

PILOT STRUCTURE

(G) stands for Geri. (CM) stands for Colonel Martin. (HL) stands for Headmaster Learned. (B) stands for Bette. (M) stands for Marge. (L) stands for Leo.

Teaser:

Essence: (G Opening) Geri, knowing it will cheer up her mother, runs her perfect report card home, only to find her mother dead.

Turning Point: She finds her mom in the kitchen in a pool of blood and vows to gain the power her mother never had.

Act 1:

Essence: G takes a photo and steals the hat at the scene of the crime –

G vows to gain the power her mother never had.

(CM Opening) Colonel Martin finally arrives and talks to the police at the

scene of the crime.

(MJ Opening) CM talks to Mrs. Johnson.

Geri spends the night at Mrs. Johnson’s house.

Geri tells Mrs. Johnson that someday she will find the real cause of her

mother’s death.

Turning Point: Mrs. Johnson goes to house to pack up Geri.

Act 2:

Essence: Her estranged Dad drops her off at military school where his friend, the headmaster, promises to “take care of her”

Colonel Martin drives Geri to Military School

(HL Opening) CM tells HL to take care of Geri. HL vows to his friend to show

Geri “the ropes”

(B Opening) Bette peeks through the bed curtains as Geri unpacks, crying

and introduces herself.

Geri shows Bette her hat.

(M Opening) Marge overhears where Geri is hiding the hat.

Turning Point: The headmaster finds the hat in her belongings and steals it

from Geri, saying girls will never grow up to be in the Army.

Act 3:

Essence: Marge and Bette befriend Geri.

Geri, now showing OCD behaviors is bullied by the other girls.

Headmaster blames Geri and isolates her.

Muffled screams come from Marge’s bed at night.

Bette climbs in bed with Geri when it happens.

• Turning Point/Midpoint: Geri rebuffs Bette.

Geri, Bette and Marge graduate and get into nurses school. Act 4:

Essence: Geri, Bette and Marge graduate and get into nurses school.

Marge, Bette and Geri vow that when the army allows women to enlist they

will be the first amongst them.

Geri vows to be the first female colonel in the US Army, behind her is CM who

overhears her.

Bette argues with her parents that she does not want to marry the family

friend or go to the ivy league school.

CM goes with HL to find the hat.

Turning Point: Bette and Marge and Geri have the hat.

Act 5:

Essence: Geri meets Leo and falls in love and they get engaged. Geri is scheduled to interview with the Army to enlist, finally passing the interview and signing up.

(Opening L) Leo dances with Geri at officer’s club. Geri leaves early.

Marge gets a ride home from Leo and comes in disheveled.

Geri dates Leo and they get engaged.

Bette gets sent to Korea.

Geri gets word that she can enlist.

Marge gets sick and meets with Leo.

Marge gets quarantined.

Geri has the interview.

Geri gets sick.

Geri gets the in. Signs the paper.

Lock In: Geri calls it off with Leo, giving no explanation whatsoever.

[Elizabeth Dickinson]

Elizabeth Dickinson’s Story Lines

What I learned doing this assignment is that I understand essences and turning points better than midpoints.

Celt

<div>
Beginning: Innocent, naïve boy living in rural Britannicus
village 1^st century A.D.
</div><div>

Turning
Point: Romans invade, want young
boys ‘to serve the emperor’

Midpoint:
Celt wants to protect village, makes bargain with Celtic god of thunder to
make him primary influence, agrees voluntarily to go with Romans

Turning
Point 2: Discovers he’s agreed to slavery

Major
Conflict: Peers see his translating for Romans as enemy collaboration

Ending:
Tries to cut out own tongue, ends his privileged position with Romans

(Dilemma
is optional.) How will he survive journey to Rome and Roman slavery?

</div>

Piran

<div>
Beginning:
Naïve boy younger than Celt with twin
</div><div>

Turning
Point: Also volunteers to go with Romans

Midpoint:
His twin is murdered.

Turning
Point 2: His tongue is cut out.

Major
Conflict: Too afraid to escape with Celt and Coran

Ending:
Prevents Celt from cutting out tongue

(Dilemma
is optional.) How will he communicate without his tongue?

</div>

Oversoul

<div>
Beginning:
Frustrated wanna-be angel still reincarnating as human
</div><div>

Turning
Point: Learns it must help purge regrets of 5 past lives

Midpoint:
Must listen to past lives

Turning
Point 2: Agrees to revisit Celt life

Major
Conflict: Must acknowledge past lives know something

Ending:
Revisits Celt’s life

</div>

Sirius

<div>
Beginning:
Confident believer in using Rome’s soft power to win over the captureds’
hearts
Turning
Point: Befriends/manipulates Celt
</div><div>

Midpoint:
Discovers Roman army more brutal than he thought through Tyran’s death,
Piran’s tongue removal

Turning
Point 2: Celt points out rape of captives, unsettles Sirius’ belief in
Rome

Major
Conflict: Sirius appalled by Celt trying to remove own tongue

Ending:
Sirius abandons Celt

(Dilemma
is optional.) Rome not all it’s
cracked up to be, what to do with that?

</div>

5. Create the first version of your outline by adding the character story lines to the structure from Lesson 3.

Teaser:

<div>
Essence: (Oversoul)
Frustrated wanna-be angel keeps reincarnating as human but wants to stop that.
</div><div>

Turning Point:
Oversoul learns it must purge regrets of 5 past lives, starting with young
1^st century Celt boy who becomes gladiator.

</div>

Act 1:

<div>
Essence (Celt
opening): Happy Celt and best friend Coran discover Romans near their
village, are alarmed.

Turning Point:
Celt and friend tell the village revealing they were out at night illicitly.
Village prepares – some villagers hide, some stay.

</div>

Act 2:

<div>
Essence: Romans
arrive, say they want young boys to serve the emperor.
Turning
Point/Midpoint: Celt volunteers to go to protect village and to honor
bargain with Taranis, along with twin Piran and Tyran.
</div><div>

Sirius’ essence:
win over village with grand vision of Rome

Sirius turning
point: Celt agrees to go with Romans.

</div>

Act 3:

Essence: Celt’s
best friend Coran follows Romans, invites Celt to escape.

Celt’s dilemma – can’t leave without Piran

Turning Point:
Celt returns to camp to help Piran escape, too.

Piran’s essence: Twin has been killed

Piran’s turning point: Piran thinks Celt may have abandoned him

Piran’s turning point: Piran cries out for absent Celt, Roman soldier Cletus cuts out Piran’s tongue. Celt cauterizes Piran’s tongue.

Act 4:

<div>
Tiran Essence: Traumatized
Piran won’t leave with Celt and Coran.
</div><div>

Celt essence:
Prioritizes promises and others’ safety over his own freedom.

Celt Turning
Point: Celt won’t leave Piran.

Piran Turning Point:
Piran avoids being with Celt.

Sirius’ essence:
Sirius has to justify brutality within Rome’s policies.

Sirius’s Turning
Point: Sirius has to acknowledge things not going as planned.

</div>

Act 5:

· Essence: Celt discovers translating and teaching Latin is considered enemy collaboration by peers.

· Celt turning point: Celt tries to cut out his own tongue.

· Piran turning point: Piran forgives Celt, prevents Celt from cutting out his tongue.

· Sirius’ essence: Sirius ready to champion Celt, but Celt’s behavior appalls him.

· Sirius and Act Turning Point: Sirius believes Celt is of no more use as translator.

· Celt Turning Point: Celt is abandoned to the low value slaves. Celt leaves Britannicus on a ship.

[P.G. Sundling]

ASSIGNMENT

6. Answer the question, “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.

I’m still not confident in my ability to break acts. I can see the pieces are there, but I might not be labeling them correctly. I felt ready to give up and just write the pilot, but I gave it a day to calm down and I was able to find the character plot and label it.

I find writing stories is much easier for me than analysis.

1. Start with a main character and your source material: BW Framework and TV Pitch Bible.

2. Create a beginning, middle, and end of the character’s story for the pilot.

James Wong/None of the Above (None)

Beginning: CEO of a billion dollar software company that he runs with his best friend, driving a Lamborghini, dating a famous supermodel, good relationship with his brother.

Middle: Renquist stole his company, repossessed his car, had his apartment ransacked, and even blocked his unemployment. James lost his girlfriend and he’s essentially homeless, crashing at Maria’s place. He’s running for president and his campaign video went viral in an unhelpful way. James blames his brother as his lawyer for losing his company and they have fallen out.

End: Changed his name to None of the Above and run for president, gotten his brother Shen to be his lawyer and campaign manager. He’s made the viral video useful and is excited to leave on the campaign trail. President is the only option None of the Above sees left.

Maria Cortez/More Jobs (MJ)

Beginning: Executive of a billion dollar software company that she helps run with her best friend, She tries to downplay her looks to avoid unwanted attention.

Middle: Renquist touched her, stole the company she helped build, and will kill her once he finds the last copy of the surveillance tapes. She kicked Renquist’s ass and stabbed one of the intruders looking for the tapes in her home.

End: reluctantly changed her name to More Jobs and run for VP. She has faith in None, but feels like a third wheel.

3. Add the rest of the structure to the characters for the Pilot.

James Wong/None of the Above (None)

Beginning: CEO of a billion dollar software company that he runs with his best friend, driving a Lamborghini, dating a famous supermodel, good relationship with his brother.

Turning Point: Renquist steals his company with a shady contract. Renquist has him humiliated and thrown out of the building. Renquist has his car repossessed. Lawyers and friends won’t return his call.

Midpoint: James decides to run for president. He proves to MJ he’s worth joining as VP by bluffing some punks with steam in a steampunk bar.

Turning Point 2: James wakes up in Maria’s bed and thinks they’ve had drunk sex, but instead she embarrasses him and points out he is still fully clothed. When Maria takes him home he finds his apartment in shambles.

Major Conflict: When MJ attacks the intruders he’s taken to the police station as a witness. Renquist’s has people working for him at the police station and None is threatened if he doesn’t turn on Maria. He stays true to Maria despite threats to his life.

Ending: James Wong changes his name to None of the Above and reconciles with his brother Shen, who becomes his lawyer and campaign manager. None, MJ, and Shen leave for a road trip to get on the ballot.

4. Return to another main character and repeat the process.

Maria Cortez/More Jobs (MJ)

Beginning: Beginning: Executive of a billion dollar software company that she helps run with her best friend, She tries to downplay her looks to avoid unwanted attention.

Turning Point: Renquist touched her, stole the company she helped build, and will kill her once he finds the last copy of the surveillance tapes. Maria mailed out two copies of the tape to Dead Man Switches. She kicked Renquist’s ass, but she will be in danger now.

Midpoint: Maria sabotages James’ relationship with Astrid by telling her about James’ new financial situation. Maria keeps the surveillance tapes a secret from James so she doesn’t put him in danger. After a practice campaign video with James drunk goes off the rails, she uploads the embarrassing video unedited.

Turning Point 2: When James destroys her table and passes out drunk, she tucks him into bed to watch over him. When he wakes up, he assumes they had sex when he’s drunk because he’s in her bed. She embarrasses him by pointing out he’s fully clothed. He wants to be with her, but she can’t be physical with him.

Major Conflict: Maria finds intruders in her apartment. She attacks them with her katana and chases them outside with her bloody katana. Instead of helping find the intruders, police take her to jail.

Ending: She reluctantly changes her name to More Jobs and run for VP. She has faith in None, but feels like a third wheel. Off on a road trip with None and Shen to get on the ballot.

Alvin Renquist and Dmitri Ivashov

Doing these two together because until a reveal much later, Ivashov is thought to be Renquist’s henchman and an extension of him.

Beginning: A successful billionaire with extensive money and influence.

Turning Point: Renquist steals control of company with a shady contract instead of paying over a billion dollars for it. When Maria reveals that she has surveillance tapes, he must get all the tapes so he can kill Maria. Renquist launches Slam Dunk Jobs which will make him lots of money from his stolen company.

Midpoint: Renquist does everything he can to find the surveillance tapes, from repossessing James’ car to ransacking the apartments of James and Maria. He toys with James from petty things like blocking his unemployment to destroying his possessions. He hurts any company that has a James Wong on the payroll, even if it’s not the right one.

Turning Point 2: When Maria stabs one of Renquist’s allies, Ivashov lets him die so he can frame Maria for murder.

Major Conflict: In the police station, with Maria locked up, Ivashov tries to get James to turn against Maria. When he doesn’t, Ivashov decides to toy with him and then kill him later.

Ending: Renquist uses his money and influence to change more laws to make him future plans unstoppable.

5. Create the first version of your outline by adding the character story lines to the structure from Lesson 3. (OZARK Example Below)

(N) = James/None of the Above(None), (M) = Maria Cortez/More Jobs(MJ), (R) = Alvin Renquist

Teaser:

Essence: Maria is president and nuclear war happens on her watch.

Turning Point: A strange creature rises from the mushroom clouds of a nuked city.

(N Beginning) (M Beginning) (R Beginning)

Act 1:

Essence: (N TP1) (M TP1) (R TP1) Maria and James started a billion-dollar software company, but Renquist steals control of it with a shady contract. Renquist will kill Maria once he has found all copies of the surveillance tapes. (R midpoint) Renquist attacks James in every way, even petty things like blocking his unemployment. Lawyers and friends won’t return his calls because everyone is afraid of Renquist.

Turning Point: (N-midpoint)James decides to run for president, as a power-up to defend against Renquist’s power and influence.

Act 2:

Essence: James wants MJ to be his VP, but he has to prove he can bluff. He bluffs some punks with steam in a steampunk bar. After the bar, they do a practice campaign video with James drunk that goes off the rails.

Turning Point/Midpoint: (M midpoint) In spite, Maria uploads the embarrassing video unedited.

Act 3:

Essence: (N TP2)(M TP2) James wakes up in Maria’s bed thinking they had drunk sex, but he’s still fully clothed. James goes home and finds his apartment in shambles. Maria confesses about the surveillance tapes. They rush to MJ’s place where there are intruders.

Turning Point: (M major conflict) (R TP2) Maria attacks and chases the intruders, but instead of catching them, she gets taken away by police.

Act 4:

Essence: (N major conflict) (R major conflict) Renquist has crooked cops on his payroll. One of Renquist’s people interrogates None in the police station. They offer him a deal if he’ll turn on Maria, but he doesn’t. The embarrassing video where he talked about being like None of the Above went viral but no one is talking about James Wong. (R ending)

Turning Point: James changes his name to None of the Above and gets Maria to change her name to More Jobs to match their viral video.

Act 5:

Essence: The name changes are successful. James blamed his brother Shen for losing the company as his lawyer. Out of options, None of the Above(None) makes peace with his brother and asks him to be campaign manager. Shen goes over the remaining options in the contract, but no options are useful. Out of options on using contract, they are committed to president idea.

Lock In: (N-ending) (M ending) They have to get on the ballot before Take Back America realizes they’re a real campaign.

[Avi K]

Avi Kapurala’s Character Story Lines

What I learned from doing this assignment is: It’s okay and nothing worrying for plots and characters to evolve. This is writing. I also need to get much better at creating turning points and midpoints.

Viktor –

· Beginning: Where does the character start? – highly successful VC

· Turning Point: A twist that locks them into a conflict – Viktor and Maya sabotage Tyson Electric’s deal.

· Midpoint: A twist that causes everything to change – Jacob sabotages a huge IPO in return.

· Turning Point 2: Another twist that takes them to the biggest conflict – Viktor kills Claire Logan.

· Dilemma (Optional): The character is faced with two equally unacceptable choices. They lose either way.

· Major Conflict: The ultimate experience of this conflict – Jacob now has evidence that Viktor is a killer.

· Ending: Their world has changed – lost a huge deal, lost wife, rival has evidence proving he is a murderer.

Maya –

· Beginning: Where does the character start? – highly successful VC

· Turning Point: A twist that locks them into a conflict – father has an accident.

· Midpoint: A twist that causes everything to change – Father dies, DriveNXT IPO tanks.

· Turning Point 2: Another twist that takes them to the biggest conflict – is punched by Viktor.

· Dilemma (Optional): The character is faced with two equally unacceptable choices. They lose either way.

· Major Conflict: The ultimate experience of this conflict – husband is a killer and she must get away.

· Ending: Their world has changed – lost a huge deal, lost father, husband is a murderer.

Jacob –

· Beginning: Where does the character start? – highly successful VC

· Turning Point: A twist that locks them into a conflict – his big Tyson Electric deal is sabotaged by Viktor.

· Midpoint: A twist that causes everything to change –sabotages Viktor’s DriveNXT IPO in return.

· Turning Point 2: Another twist that takes them to the biggest conflict – gains evidence that Viktor is a killer

· Dilemma (Optional): The character is faced with two equally unacceptable choices. They lose either way.

· Major Conflict: The ultimate experience of this conflict – destroy Viktor completely.

· Ending: Their world has changed – wins a huge deal, gloats over father, regains old lover, has evidence arch rival is a murderer.