So are those not the right elements, or is it just that I wasn’t specific enough in pointing out the exact moment when T’Challa applied Change as an element?
It’s more that you weren’t using the Dramatica element of Change correctly. T’Challa is not changing or adapting as a method for solving problems at the end. Yes, he Changed, which means he is changing or adapting his approach BUT he is not doing that by Changing or Adapting as a means for a Solution.
So Inertia and Change aren’t the Problem and Solution here.
Otherwise, he would have had to literally change or adapt something in order to solve his personal problem of being the son of a bad king. For instance, announcing to the world that Wakanda would be joining the global community because they’ve been in the shadows too long. Or adapting to what was happening in the fight with Killmonger by stopping the train so that he could kill Killmonger.
Neither of those things would count as applying Change the element as a means for a solution?
No - because it’s simply changing an approach not engaging in Change-ing.
For instance, a Problem of Inertia in the film would be something like the 5 tribes coming into conflict over following the traditions of the challenge fight, or any number of traditions that they have to do over and over again, particularly if continuing along that path threatens the lives of the individual tribe members. Maybe one tribe is in charge of supplying fish and the rivers are running shallow but hey–it’s tradition that you guys bring fish…otherwise, you don’t get our protection or our resources.
The Solution then would be to constantly Change or Adapt Tradition to roll with the tide and various wants and desires of individual tribes, or with the changing weather conditions, or to be completely malleable.
T’Challa isn’t malleable by the end. But his Approach is Changed.
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T’Challa claims, “I never freeze,” while a few minutes later he does. Perception? Ditto for the outside world’s perception of Wakanda, and vice versa?
A Perception Problem is where imbalance occurs because of Perception-ing, not a single instance of perception. It would also imply that Reality-or Actuality—somehow resolves these issues of Perception-ing.
But I would agree that T’Challa’s personal issue has to do with freezing. They’re very explicit about that, right from the start.
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Okay so is the OS/MC problem Inaction? That would make the solution Protection – we have to stop just protecting ourselves and start protecting the world …
Stop protecting ourselves sounds more like an Overall Story Problem of Protection. Also you’re using Protection as a single instance of Storytelling, rather than an Element of narrative.
They’re not Inaction-ing. And they aren’t Protection-ing at the end. How is the actual substance of effort altered in relation to solving problems?
Given that the OS is a clear cut techno-thriller (i.e. the story ends when the vibranium is in possession), I’m gonna stick to the lower left.
In the lower left, I could see an OS & MC problem of Avoid. Wakanda is avoiding the rest of the world. T’Challa is avoiding expressing himself to Nakia (similar to George McFly’s view of Lorraine–“I couldn’t take that kind of rejection”).
A case could be made for Feeling especially for the MC (i.e. paralyzed by feeling) & somewhat for the OS (i.e. it’s sensible/logical to engage in win-win trade instead of building walls).
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Hmmm, subtle @jhull. (It must be frustrating to be you 
).
Okay, I see that.
So if Avoid is the Problem, that gives us an OS Concern of Obtaining (which I think is what @jhay and @mlucas had earlier with some good illustrations).
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No, it’s super fun 
When I was watching it, as soon as T’Challa appeared on the battlefield to challenge Killmonger I thought to myself, “Wait, this is just Lion King”…but then, when I was trying to figure it out later I kept wanting Temptation and Conscience to be in there.
But then I took my own advice about how the problems aren’t because they’re Temptation-ing and they don’t solve it by Conscience-ing, and then thought, “Oh, wait…”
Once I saw the connection between the objective and subjective in terms of Avoidance, there really was no other option that worked as well across all four perspectives. (Plus, I got the Temptation and Conscience in the Relationship Story).
For fun, I googled “Lion King Black Panther” and came up with tons of results. Most focus on superficial things like scene settings and locations, but many speak to the actual narrative and how many of the themes–or thematic arguments–are exactly the same.
I’m debating about whether or not to use the same exact Narrative Argument from Lion King:
Since it works so well for this film!
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Oh! I was staying away from this thread because I thought it was moving toward top-left Concerns and I just couldn’t fathom that.
I can definitely see how T’Challa might be Universe; that’s what I argued for initially. I remember thinking an MC Issue of Delay was perfect for freezing!
I don’t know though, I would still argue for Oppose/Support as the MC & OS Problem/Solution. They seem SO strong in this film. What about this:
Stop opposing everyone’s ideas, and you can secure your country’s place in the world.
Is the argument more about Wakanda “freezing” on the world stage through Opposition-ing? Speaking out, detracting…?
Or is it more that they’re simply Avoiding becoming involved?
Support is cheering on from the sidelines, “You go ahead and do that thing you do.”
Pursuit is moving forward, building a community center in the heat of Oakland, and joining the rest of the world.
The answer to the question of “What can a nation of farmers do?” isn’t, “We’re here for you and we’re on your side”. It’s more a slight smile and an indication of “Just wait and see what we can do”.
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I was also kind of holding back until Jim revealed his storyform because I couldn’t envision it being in the top-left either and didn’t want to be the guy that rushes in going “what the hell, man?!”
So it turns out my very first guess (before I incorrectly decided T’Challa was a Be-er and completely abandoned the storyform like the turncoat Brit I am) was VERY close – only I went with Control as Focus and Uncontrolled as Direction because of the endless ‘people like us are being oppressed/let’s liberate them’ arguments cropping up everywhere. But I didn’t like the problem of Pursuit.
Quite thrilling how close I was, though. Although I did abandon it fairly quickly. My MC problem of Disbelief appearing, probably.
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You were right on – just the wrong direction. It’s more like “our people have no freedom (focus), so i’m taking control (direction)”. That’s why Killmonger’s last line works so well – it’s not that he’s moving in the direction of Freedom (uncontrolled), he’s taking Control of how he wants to end his life.
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(playing Devil’s Advocate here…)
What’s interesting is that at the level of the characters there does seem to be a lot of Oppositioning (frozen because of disagreement) and yes, even Supporting at the end.
Although Support is definitely about cheering on, being supportive, and agreeing … we have to be careful not to assume it precludes anything else happening after. If Neo’s Faith can lead him to pursue fighting agents, then I think T’Challa’s Support of Killmonger’s ideas can lead him to build a community centre in Oakland. If the story is saying the support was the important part, the solution (and the community centre was just a way of showing it).
That said, at the level of Wakanda and the world, and I guess the story / story-mind, I can definitely see how Avoid and Pursuit work better. Self Interest vs. Morality also feels a lot stronger than Attitude vs. Approach, at any level. I’ll think about this more, but I’ll probably end up convinced!
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I empathize. Cynically, I often feel like I should use this algorithm when analyzing movies:
- Is it a GAS? If no, stop. If yes, go to question 2.
- Was the budget >$100 million, is there at least one fight per act, and is neither Chris Nolan nor hard scifi involved? If “yes” to all, then there is an 80% chance that the OS issue is self-interest & the problem is one of: pursuit, avoid, control, or uncontrolled. If not “yes” to all, then think more about it.
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Lol. This should be an engineered part of the theory.
Lol. That’s great.
On a more serious note, can @jhull or someone explain what T’Challa is avoiding or how he is experiencing personal issues related to avoidance? What is he avoiding personally? To me, it’s much less clear than Simba avoiding responsibility in The Lion King. T’Challa always steps up and does his best to be a responsible ruler.
Is it something like, he’s avoiding doing things his own way as king? Avoiding being his own man, avoiding stepping out from under his father’s shadow?
(If I’m on the right track, I would suggest not to use responsibility in the narrative argument. Although it might work well with the Dramatica definition of Responsibility – assuming control to the exclusion of others – most people would scratch their heads. What about authority … something like: “Stop avoiding your authority as King, and you can secure your country’s place in the world.”)