Module 2 – Lesson 2: Compelling Character Descriptions

[Brenda Boddy]

Brenda Boddy – Character descriptions
What I learned: Every assignment I have a small breakthrough. Mason has been hard for me to develop because I felt like he was the buddy and should be a pretty good guy. Now, putting him in conflict with Justice gives him a whole new persona. I also see how my previously generic characters need to pop when describing them.
ASSIGNMENT
• Who is the character? JUSTICE. Role in the show? PROTAGONIST/FATHER/HUSBAND/BORTAC AGENT
• Noteworthy traits: PREVIOUS JUSTICE: CHARMING, ABUSIVE, MANIPULATIVE, CRIMINAL. REINCARNATED JUSTICE: OLD-FASHIONED. QUICK WITTED. CAPABLE. MAN’S MAN. STUBBORN.
• Intriguing history: DYSLEXIC. DISAPPOINTED FATHER. TEXAS RANGER. WIDOWED FATHER TO 4-YEAR-OLD.
• Intrigue? Mystery? REINCARNATED. HOW CAN HE GET HOME?
• How do they support or drive the conflict with others? CONFLICTING VALUE SYSTEM: CONFLICTS WITH TEAM WHO DOES THINGS DIFFERENTLY. CONFLICTS WITH CRIMINALS WHO THINK HE IS BETRAYING THEM.
• Irony — Opposites or paradoxes that exist with the character: PREVIOUS PARTNERS ARE NOW HIS ENEMIES. USES LAW FOR GOOD INSTEAD OF BAD. HE VALUES FAMILY WHERE HIS PREDECESSOR DIDN’T.
• Opposing agendas/etc. that naturally causes conflict with other characters: HE WANTS TO GO BACK TO HIS TIME (VISITS WITCHDOCTORS, ETC). HE IS TRYING TO RIGHT HIS PREDECESSOR’S WRONGS (SHIPPING WOMEN, TAKING BRIBES, DEMANDING PAYOFFS, MOVING DRUGS).
• Unpredictable? PRACTICING LAW IN A DIFFERENT ERA WITH DIFFERENT RULES.
• Intriguing relationship with one or more characters: JEWEL BENEFITS FROM WORKING WITH HIM TO TAKE DOWN CUERVO WHILE INVESTIGATING HIM ALSO.
JUSTICE:
Justice hides his abusive and manipulative behavior behind a charming mask, as he builds his criminal empire under the guise of a BORTAC (Border Tactical) agent…until he dies and a Texas ranger from 1908 reincarnates into his body. Moral, old-fashioned, and stubborn, this new Justice smokes, drinks and occasionally samples the whores…after all, he’s a red-blooded man ain’t he? He also brings with him a code of honor that creates quite a ruckus with…well pretty much everyone, from his former partners in the Mexican cartel, to his BORTAC teammates, to his newly inherited bi-racial family.
What he doesn’t cotton to is corruption, particularly his predecessor’s corruption, which seems to pop up continually. Convinced that he can’t return to his own time until he corrects the wrongs of the previous Justice, he heads into the jaws of danger armed with a kick ass attitude and a strong right fist. Unfortunately, what he doesn’t have is an understanding of how much practicing law has changed in the last century.

KENZIE:
• Who is the character? WIFE. Role in the show? CONTRAST AND FAMILY TO JUSTICE.
• Noteworthy traits: PROTECTIVE OF CHILD. ABUSED. SARCASTIC.
• Intriguing history: SHE’S ABUSED. HAD AN AFFAIR RESULTING IN SAMANTHA. HUSBAND HAD LOVER KILLED.
• Intrigue? Mystery? SHE’S TRYING TO ESCAPE HER HUSBAND.
• How do they support or drive the conflict with others? HER ABUSE SETS OFF HER DAUGHTER’S ACTIONS.
• Irony — Opposites or paradoxes that exist with the character: DOESN’T BELIEVE IN VIOLENCE BUT TRIES TO KILL JUSTICE.
• Opposing agendas/etc. that naturally causes conflict with other characters: TRYING TO ESCAPE SETS OFF JUSTICE. IN THE FUTURE…TRYING TO DIVORCE NEW JUSTICE.
• Unpredictable? WILL CROSS BOUNDARIES TO PROTECT HER DAUGHTER.
• Intriguing relationship with one or more characters: SHE WILL BE ATTRACTED TO MASON WHILE MARRIED TO JUSTICE.

KENZIE:
Abused, angry, and overly protective of her daughter, Kenzie is a black woman who is not living her best life. She recognizes that her affair and subsequent pregnancy, early in her marriage, was the catalyst that started her abuse but it’s not like she can divorce her husband. She’s tried, along with numerous escape attempts and each time he’s found her and dragged her home with escalating violence so extreme that she often fears for her life. The only thing that pulls her from her whipped compliance is her protective instinct for her daughter which closely resembles a mother bear protecting a cub – then there is no line she won’t cross.
Initially skeptical of the newly reincarnated Justice, Kenzie cautiously begins to believe someone else is inhabiting her hated husband’s body but seeing him enter a room still gives her a jolt. And when his shenanigans to get himself back to his own century ends up dragging Kenzie into a brawl with the Mexican Cartel, things begin to get scary and dangerous for both mom and daughter.

JEWEL:
• Who is the character? PARTNER AGENT. Role in the show? EVENTUAL LOVE INTEREST, PARTNER.
• Noteworthy traits: FIERCELY COMPETENT, SASSY, SELF-SUFFICIENT TO A FAULT.
• Intriguing history: RAN AWAY FROM ABUSIVE FOSTER CARE SITUATION, DEALT WITH HARSH REALITIES OF LIFE ON THE STREETS UNTIL SHE ENDED UP BEING TRAFFICED BY CUERVO’S GANG. A COMMUNITY CENTER WORKED WITH COPS TO RESCUE HER AND THEIR PROGRAMS TAUGHT HER EDUCATION WAS HER WAY TO SUCCEED. HER FIERCE DRIVE TO TAKE CONTROL OF HER OWN DESTINY SENT HER UP THE RANKS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
• Intrigue? Mystery? SHE IS WORKING UNDER COVER FOR INTERNAL AFFAIRS. SHE IS TRACKING DOWN CUERVO’S GANG.
• How do they support or drive the conflict with others? HER PRICKLY NATURE WITH MEN DRIVES CONFLICT. HER DRIVE FOR REVENGE PUSHES HER TO CROSS LINES.
• Irony — Opposites or paradoxes that exist with the character. SHE SAVES LIVES WHILE KILLING PIMPS.
• Opposing agendas/etc. that naturally causes conflict with other characters. SHE’S HELPING INVESTIGATE JUSTICE.
• Unpredictable? HER CONSUMING ANGER AT CUERVO DRIVES HER.
• Intriguing relationship with one or more characters. SHE HATES JUSTICE BUT IS DRAWN TO HIM.

JEWEL:
With a history of being sex trafficked and her resulting anger toward men, Jewel has worked her way up the ladder with a fierce desire to take control of her own destiny. She’s one capable agent with a soft side for the underprivileged and a self-sufficient and vengeful nature toward oppressors. And she’s looking for Cuervo, the head of the ring that trafficked her.
In the meantime, Jewel fights crime as a BORTAC agent and works undercover for Internal Affairs. And right now, I. F. is on the trail of Justice Baird and his corrupt ways, a great cover for her own covert actions…which is serial killer at night.
MASON:
Character. MASON. Role. MENTOR.
Noteworthy traits. SMART, CHARISMATIC, AWKWARD, INDECISIVE. EXERCISE NUT.
Intrigue. DAD WANTED HIM TO BE A LAWYER LIKE HIMSELF. HE WAS BULLIED.
Support or drive. JEALOUS OVER MILEY TAKING A LIKING TO JUSTICE.
Irony – He’s a rule follower but he tells white lies.
Opposing agenda. RULE ORIENTED, WHILE JUSTICE OPERATES FROM DIFFERENT ERA THAT CROSSES LINES.
Unpredictable. He lies.

MASON:
Being smart and an absolute rule follower, Mason’s charismatic ways helped him quickly climb the ladder to being an agent with an eye toward continuing his move upward. Unfortunately, he tends to lie under pressure, due to a childhood of being bullied, and an obsession for exercise which helps keep the weight off that he was once teased for.
Mason really has a thing for Miley who doesn’t seem to notice a man unless he’s the wrong sort for her. It’s a source of anger and jealousy for him that she is unnaturally drawn to Justice who doesn’t seem to appreciate her. And while Justice seems to need someone who knows the rules to be his friend, it makes a fellow feel like a gentle push the wrong way might be what Mason needs to do to eliminate the competition.