If you’ve read “The Simple Truth About Storytelling and Life”, then you know that all of Storytelling and all of Life are built on two things:

• Goals 
• Conflict

All creatures are Goal-seeking beings, and they have to fight and win in Conflict against an opposing force to achieve those Goals. 

It’s pretty simple.

And if you’re writing a Western Warrior Epic, then you’ve got to know just what exactly every character’s Goals are, and what kind of Conflict and with whom their Goals leads them into. 

WHAT MAKES THE GENRE WORK

Lucky for you, there are only a handful of Character Archetypes out there when it comes to specifically writing the Western Warrior Epic. 

They’ve all got their own unique Goals, and that leads them into Conflict with each other! 

It’s what makes the genre work. 

Just what are these Character Archetypes, you ask?

THE GROUPS AND THEIR CHARACTERS 

In the Western Warrior Epic, there are 5 different groups of Characters. Each group has 2-4 Characters within the group. 

Some are good guys, some are bad guys. But they all have their own Goals, and they all fight Conflict with each other. 

These Character Groups and the Characters within the are: 

• Heroes 
  • Confrontational Hero
  • Sidekick Sergeant 
  • Priestess Princess
  • Martyr Soldier/Informant 

• Villains
  • Predatory Demons
  • Predatory Devils 

• Fifth Column 
  • Hidebound Commander
  • Lieutenant Lackeys 
  • Flying Monkeys

• Folks Back Home
  • Heathen Generation
  • Imperiled Generation

• Command and Control 
  • Confrontational Commander 
  • Sidekick Sergeant Major 

Let’s take a look at each Group and each Character in turn. We’ll find out what their Goals are, and how and with whom this puts them in Conflict with!

See our  next article to find out about the Confrontational Hero!