Writing Apocalypse and Survival

by Jackson Dean Chase

  What does the apocalypse mean? How did it happen? Why did it happen now, to us? Reasons must be found, or if not found, made up to justify what we need to do to survive.

  Look for most people to be paranoid and amoral compared to their pre-apocalypse selves. They may not want to behave this way, but experience has shown them not to let their guard down. That's how they lost friends and family. Given enough exposure through positive actions, not just words, these people can learn to trust again, but you must earn their loyalty.

  HERO AND VILLAIN PSYCHOLOGY

  We've talked a lot about plots in a previous chapter, but what about character development? After all, fans may come to your story for the zombies, but they stay for the people. That's the reason The Walking Dead TV series has lasted as many seasons as it has. The zombies are great, you can't do it without them, but it's the human characters―their relationships and drama―that make it successful.

  Study The Walking Dead. Study Dawn of the Dead (the 1978 original). They have great zombie action and great characters. And how do they do that? With great writing. You need to find similar ways for your characters to amuse, interest, or be liked by your readers. And don't forget to make them “love to hate” your human villains.

  One way to get readers to like a character is to have him do something heroic or self-sacrificing when we first meet him. This is called a “save the cat” moment (or, if you prefer, “pet the dog,” but don't take either term literally). Providing this moment of instant likability shows readers your character is a good person worth spending time with. But he should also be a flawed person, with one or two serious issues to work on, and these flaws should also be visible from the start. Whether or not the character overcomes his flaws or is consumed by them determines whether your story will have a “happy” or tragic ending. This inner growth (or failure to grow) is called character arc. Every major character should have one to some degree, but the main character should have the most.

  Similarly, the villain should have a “kick the cat” moment when first revealed that proves just how ruthless and nasty he is. This display can be as obvious or subtle as you want (but not so subtle it slips past your readers). Do not make your villain a generic mustache-twirling maniac. Make him a badass, but a conflicted one. Let him be human, and morally complicated, but not pure evil. He has to have a few redeeming qualities that allow him to lead or at least briefly get along with what is left of society.

  You pull this off by having him crack a joke or showing unexpected mercy―even love―then, when his humor or kindness blow up in his face, have him shrug and say something like, “See? That's why nice guys finish last.”

  That's the lesson he's learned. That's what twisted him into a villain, and that's what's going to get him killed in the end―but not before he's hurt a lot of people. Because nice guys really do finish last. The apocalypse hasn't changed that―in fact, it's made it more clear than ever. But you can't just be a horrible sadistic bastard to everyone either. That only works until you run into someone stronger than you―and chances are, your villainous power trip is going to create that enemy. Probably a whole lot of them.

  HERO AND VILLAIN CHARACTER ARCS

  Heroes and villains lead by example. The fine line that separates them is in knowing their power and using it responsibly. Knowing when to apply force and how much. Knowing when diplomacy will serve you better. Making friends, forging allies. The art of compromise and sacrifice to keep things fair. All while staying in control. It's not easy. Most people screw it up one way or another. And while the pre-apocalypse world can forgive that, the post-apocalyptic world won't. Make too many small mistakes or just one big one, and you're dead. Your group is dead.

  The real difference between the hero and villain is in their character arc. The hero struggles to grow (even if he fails) while the villain resists change at any cost. The villain fears change. He fears growth. He doesn't think he needs it and tries to deprive everyone else of theirs.

  For example, in the Max Max series, both the hockey- masked Lord Humungus from The Road Warrior (1981) and Immortan Joe from Fury Road (2015) believe might makes right. Why shouldn't they? They're on top of the food chain. They are not willing to share power or admit weakness because they rule by fear. They believe that any display of kindness or mercy will get them dead and their army dead. And so they kill, corrupt, or enslave everyone in their path to prove they are the mightiest power in the land.

  This strategy works until they mess with the wrong guy, inadvertently turning a random loner into a deadly enemy that encourages others to rise up and rebel. But what if the Humungus or Immortan Joe had been more reasonable? What if they had been less interested in crushing Max than converting him into an ally? Or at least buying him off and honoring the deal? Max didn't want to fight. He just wanted to be left alone. By applying a military solution to what was essentially a diplomatic problem, these villains killed themselves and their armies. For what? To prove a point?

  Compare these two ego-driven male villains to Tina Turner's Aunty Entity, the villain from Max Max 3: Beyond Thunderdome (1985). She uses diplomacy to trick Max into working for her and then tries to kill him when he backs out of the deal. When this strategy proves costly, Aunty realizes that rather than pursue Max, she could be home consolidating her power. She can safely end their feud because Max could care less about interfering with her empire, so where is the profit in killing an enemy she has grown to respect?

  Because Aunty learns the lesson that Lord Humungus and Immortan Joe failed to learn, she gets to walk away at the end of the film with pride and power intact. Max also gets to walk away, which is all he really wanted to do in the first place. Whether or not Aunty will use this experience to become a better person or not is debatable.

  Ending your story with a win/win for the hero and villain (or lose/lose, depending on your point of view) is rare and unlikely to satisfy everyone, but it is an interesting option, particularly if you want to bring the villain back in a sequel―perhaps this time as an ally against an even worse villain.

  The villain is more important to the success of your story than the hero because he drives the action. And he does that because he believes he is the hero of his story. Treat him that way. Everything he says and does should be written with this goal in mind. He wants to look good, feel powerful, and get the last word in. He wants to win because that assures him he doesn't need to change when he is the character who needs change most.

  The villain also represents the hero's dark side. He is what the hero will become should he fail to fix his flaws. That is why bad guys in movies tell the hero, “We're not so different, you and I.” When the hero rejects these words (as they so often do), he fights and fails until he learns to accept that awful truth, and to work to change himself so he does not end up like the villain. That moment of self-awareness may come to the hero in minutes or years, depending on how you long you want his self-discovery to play out.

  As soon as the hero realizes the villain is right, and determines to correct it, that is the moment the hero starts to win. And he will stay on the winning path.

  The villain's true power over the hero is in holding him back, twisting him with hate, with fear, with doubt and self-loathing―all the things the villain secretly feels. Once those tricks no longer work, the villain is powerless. All his guns and goons don't matter. Even if the villain kills the hero, the hero wins a moral victory because he has proven himself the bigger man, the better man. And when the villain knows that, he will be crushed by it and carry that defeat forever.

  For more advice on how to write heroes, villains, and everyone else (including groups or teams), read my bestseller, Writing Heroes and Villains (2018).

  3

  HUMAN VILLAINS

  IT'S NOT ENOUGH to have zombies, mutants, aliens, or killer robots. You need a human villain! Someone who can threaten, tempt, and strategize to make the post-apocalyptic world even worse for your characters. In this chapter, we’
re going to take a quick look at the six most common types of villains in the apocalypse:

  Cult

  Government Agency/Rogue Military

  Maniac

  Paramilitary Group/Biker Gang

  Traitor

  Tyrant

  CULT

  Cults can take many forms, being either open to recruiting or closed. Closed groups may be restricted to extended family, members of the same religion or geographic area, etc. Cannibals and religious nuts are typical examples, such as The Termites and Wolves from The Walking Dead.

  GOVERNMENT AGENCY/ROGUE MILITARY

  A sinister government agency or rogue military command present similar threats. They may take the shape of a “friendly” Governor-like enclave or a Negan-like private army that offer protection in return for whatever they want. They may claim they are operating under “government orders” and cite that as why the characters should obey.

  If the agency is scientific in nature, experiments (such as for a vaccine) will be ruthlessly conducted without regard for law, rights, or dignity. The scientists in charge will be protected and enabled by soldiers. This creates a natural opportunity for the characters to exploit any schisms between the scientific and military factions.

  MANIAC

  Maniacs are lone wolves driven by delusion. They are serial killers, spree killers, killers of opportunity. They may appear charming, but that charm wears thin as the monster within begins to surface, manifesting in a thousand different ways. Maniacs with the most charm become tyrants; those with less (or none at all), remain solo, or limit themselves to small groups.

  The group may tolerate them for their lethal skills as long as they are directed against the group’s enemies, but the best bond is one of family. In Fear the Walking Dead, Troy Otto is a maniac protected and enabled by his otherwise normal survivalist family. But if you want, the whole family can be insane, such as the cannibal Sawyers from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974).

  Those who fail to fit into even a small group of (relatively) normal people go it alone or partner up with another maniac, such as the two killers who teamed up to become The Hillside Strangler (2004).

  Maniacs never think of themselves as crazy, and many believe they have some sort of special or divine purpose. That could be “sending pure souls to heaven” by killing them, purposely infecting survivors with the zombie virus as punishment “for their sins,” or anything that justifies the terrible things they do.

  For more about maniacs, including different types such as cannibals, read my book, Writing Monsters & Maniacs. It features a handy list of questions to create a complete psychological profile of your maniac.

  PARAMILITARY/BIKER GANG

  Paramilitary groups may be a mix of enclave and army: friendly to those like them, hostile to those who aren't. Biker gangs would behave the same, but be much more mobile. For examples of biker gangs, watch Dawn of the Dead (1978), Raiders of Atlantis (1983, aka Atlantis Interceptors), and Sons of Anarchy (TV, 2008-2014).

  TRAITOR

  The traitor is another key villain type. He appears to be part of the group, but only cares about himself and his own selfish interests. He will honestly believe his way is the right way and he deserves to be in charge, not the current leader.

  In The Walking Dead, Shane is a prime example of a traitor. In Night of the Living Dead (1968), it's Mr. Cooper. In Day of the Dead (1985), it's Captain Rhodes. While Cooper and Rhodes are selfish jerks likely to get everyone killed, Shane is that rare type of traitor who does actually know what's best for his group. The problem is, he's terrible at convincing others he's right; his selfish desires (coveting his best friend's wife) and ruthless tactics repel the rest of the group and cause the majority to turn on him. It's ironic that it is only after his death that his way is proven right.

  Traitors must have clear and specific motivations for why they are the way they are. We must see the seed of their hate happen, must watch the traitor nurse it until it blooms into a full-on power grab. A traitor in the starting group of characters can be conflicted, but cannot be an active, intentional traitor until circumstances push them to it. The exception is new survivors; when they show up, these can be or include traitors already. They may have a stronger allegiance to their own small group or to a larger group to which they secretly belong.

  TYRANT

  In The Walking Dead, tyrants are exemplified by Negan and The Governor. Both rule very different kinds of paramilitary groups that were created after the apocalypse. Both are complicated men who present a charming exterior to hide their true evil.

  The Governor further disguises his twisted ambition by saying it is for the common good, for law and order, to rebuild society and restore normalcy (under his iron hand, of course). This allows him to appear benevolent and easily recruit the best and brightest to his side. The Governor's people believe in him and his vision (at least the part he shares with them). They fight out of loyalty for a cause they think is worth dying for.

  If the Governor is killed, his people will likely unite under a new leader. Whether that leader is better or worse than the Governor is up to you.

  Negan, on the other hand, makes no attempt to disguise what he is: a thief, an extortionist, a murderous psychopath, and a powerful force for chaos and fear. This attracts the worst of the worst to his cause―the desperate, the broken, the criminal. Together, his gang (“The Saviors”) become the ultimate post-apocalyptic protection racket. The Saviors fight out of fear of punishment, out of greed, lust, and revenge. Few, if any, will be loyal for any other reason. As long as Negan gets results that benefit his criminal followers, his position is secure. However, once he suffers one defeat too many, he will be challenged by his underlings, each eager to take his place.

  That means if Negan is killed, he will almost always be replaced by a villain just as bad or even worse. However, unless the new leader has the same cult-like ability to hold the gang together, they will likely splinter and fall apart at some point.

  4

  KILLER MACHINES

  IT’S HARD NOT TO THINK of post-apocalyptic movies without thinking of killer machines from drones to The Terminator scouring the planet free of its human “infection.” Other ideas include survivors adapting to new and unforgiving environments through technology, either as androids or cyborgs: Robocop, The Six Million Dollar Man, etc. Even zombies have been turned into cyborgs in films like Return of the Living Dead 3.

  ANDROIDS

  Androids are robots with a human-like appearance. They may be virtually indistinguishable from humans or built with one or more characteristics that identify them as robots. Androids are equipped with artificial intelligence and programmed to act in ways similar to humans. Due to their human-like appearance and behavior, androids make ideal companions, assassins, and spies.

  Depending on their programming, androids may, over time, become obsessed with learning how to become more human (if treated well) or less human (if treated badly). The complicated web of human emotions are the primary stumbling block for androids. They are programmed to mimic emotions, but cannot actually feel them. The quest to truly feel and understand emotions is what drive many androids’ character arcs.

  Another option is for humans to insert themselves into android bodies, either temporarily, or permanently, perhaps as a way to live forever or survive in the post-apocalyptic world. What kind of android body and attributes would you want if you could remake yourself from scratch? The sky’s the limit, or at least your bank account. Check out Surrogates (2009) for more on that.

  SAMPLE ANDROIDS

  Westworld (1973 and 2016-present TV remake)

  The Stepford Wives (1975)

  Alien (1979)

  Android (1982)

  Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

  The Terminator (1984)

  Blade Runner (1982)

  Aliens (1986)

  Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV, 1987-1992)

  Terminator 2: Judgment Day
(1991)

  Screamers (1995)

  A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

  Imposter (2001)

  Surrogates (2009)

  Ex Machina (2014)

  Chappie (2015)

  Humans (TV, 2015-present)

  Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

  CYBORGS

  A cyborg is a human or other creature whose physical abilities have been enhanced beyond its natural limits by artificial replacements or modifications. These cybernetic parts may or may not be noticeable; they could be covered with synthetic skin, for example. In humans, the more organic parts that are replaced, the more anger, depression, and mental illness the cyborg may have, as he feels “more machine than man.” Robocop (1987), dealt with this struggle.

  The cyborg theme is one of self-acceptance and identity: If you’re not who you were, who are you now? Man? Machine? Something more? Something less?

  How are cyborgs treated in your story world? Are they primarily wounded veterans and accident victims, or do people seek out such procedures? Why? Is this for a job, military service, a fetish, or personal fulfillment?

  CYBERPUNK CYBORGS

  When you think of cyborgs, you may see a picture of someone who is half-man and half-machine, but there is another type of cyborg popularized in cyberpunk films and fiction like Johnny Mnemonic (1995). These cyborgs have cybernetic implants in their skulls—data ports they can use to download memories, information, languages, or specialized skills as a shortcut to traditional forms of learning. What if you could instantly become a master of anything you want? Think of the potential for education, careers, and espionage!