# Influence character who is also protagonist **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [November 27, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802 "2016-11-27T15:19:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cora](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/cora/32/344_2.png) [@cora](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/cora)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/1 "2016-11-27T15:19:24Z")
Any examples of IC who is also the protagonist? Furiosa in Mad Max Fury Road. any others? trying to write a story where the MC occupies the position of being along for the ride with the IC/protagonist. ---
**Author:** ![Greg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@Greg](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Greg)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 3:44pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/2 "2016-11-27T15:44:47Z")
Andy Dufresne in Shawshank redemption? ---
**Author:** ![bobRaskoph](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/bobraskoph/32/75_2.png) [@bobRaskoph](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/bobRaskoph)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/3 "2016-11-27T16:13:25Z")
Gatsby in _The Great Gatsby_. ---
**Author:** ![mlucas](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/mlucas/32/275_2.png) [@mlucas](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/mlucas)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/4 "2016-11-27T17:04:04Z")
The story I’m working on right now has the IC as protagonist, so let me know if you have any specific questions! Actually … your question helped me understand something better about my own story. The way you phrased “along for the ride” made me think about my MC and I realized that she’s both along for the ride and Hindering that ride … which is cool because Hinder is the MC crucial element. I never saw that perspective before! ---
**Author:** ![Prish](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/prish/32/33_2.png) [@Prish](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Prish)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 6:10pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/5 "2016-11-27T18:10:40Z")
I’m thinking main character Sidekicks and Sherlock Holmes comes to mind… mulling it over, more later. ---
**Author:** ![cora](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/cora/32/344_2.png) [@cora](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/cora)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 6:13pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/6 "2016-11-27T18:13:55Z")
Amadeus? - is mozart the protagonist in that one? ---
**Author:** ![cora](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/cora/32/344_2.png) [@cora](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/cora)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/7 "2016-11-27T18:25:31Z")
@mlucas cool! yea i’m trying to give the MC perspective the feeling that the MC is not the hero or has any particular obsession to solve the big problem, but that nonetheless the MC can fall into a pivotal role in shaping the world of the problem. i think that is an important perspective to feel right now, and more relatable than the usual hero perspective. its like the ivanka trump perspective or the huma abedin perspective lol. there is something about michael clayton that feels close, i.e. the role of the fixer, someone in a secondary position to the ride (even though i get that arthur eden is not the protagonist) ---
**Author:** ![Prish](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/prish/32/33_2.png) [@Prish](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Prish)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 6:37pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/8 "2016-11-27T18:37:30Z")
Manchurian candidate? ---
**Author:** ![cora](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/cora/32/344_2.png) [@cora](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/cora)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 5:13pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/9 "2016-12-09T17:13:43Z")
The Insider - Lowell Bergman is IC to Jeffrey Wigand’s MC; but Bergman is also the protagonist trying to break the whistleblowing story. Wigand is steadfast MC along for the ride, waiting waiting waiting for his info to start breaking the news. Bergman flips the bit when out of options to break the story and he realizes he has to basically take a page from the Wigand playbook and blow the whistle on CBS corporate’s pressure/self-censorship to the nytimes to get Wigand’s story out without legal permission. ---
**Author:** ![Dan310](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc348/32.png) [@Dan310](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Dan310)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/10 "2016-12-09T20:22:06Z")
Fight Club Tyler Durden is the IC and the Protagonist The Ed Norton character is the MC ---
**Author:** ![RailwayAdventurer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@RailwayAdventurer](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/RailwayAdventurer)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 2:53am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/11 "2017-01-30T02:53:01Z")
Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Source: [http://narrativefirst.com/analysis/star-wars-the-force-awakens](http://narrativefirst.com/analysis/star-wars-the-force-awakens). ---
**Author:** ![jhull](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/jhull/32/3_2.png) [@jhull](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/jhull)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 9:02pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/12 "2017-01-30T21:02:13Z")
Influence Character as Protagonist movies: (in addition to ones listed above) - _Inside Man_ with Denzel Washington - _Terminator_ Reese is Pro, Sarah is MC - _The Lives of Others_ (the writer is the IC/Protagonist) - _The Yellow Birds_ - a great film I just saw at Sundance based on the book and starring young Han Solo as new recruit in Iraq. Very _Platoon_ like (mom, CID officer are co-protagonists) - Come to think of it, _Platoon_ is probably the same - (Barnes/Tom Berenger is IC/Protagonist) - _The Bucket List_ (Freeman is IC Pro) - _Brokeback Mountain_ (Jack is IC Pro) - _Casablanca_ is _almost_ IC Pro (depending on how you see Ilsa & Laszlo’s combined influence on Rick) - _Eastern Promises_ pretty sure Viggo is IC Pro - _Election_ Witherspoon is IC Pro - _The Fugitive_ - Tommy Lee Jones is IC Pro (though you can also see he & Harrison as co-Pros) - _How to Train Your Dragon_ - Stock is IC Pro - _Sideways_ Jack is IC Pro I think that’s it, but if I find anymore I’ll list them here! ---
**Author:** ![crayzbrian](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/crayzbrian/32/300_2.png) [@crayzbrian](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/crayzbrian)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/13 "2017-01-30T21:46:04Z")
Isn’t John Book an IC/pro in Witness? ---
**Author:** ![jhull](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/jhull/32/3_2.png) [@jhull](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/jhull)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/14 "2017-01-30T22:49:21Z")
Yes he certainly is. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Khodu](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/khodu/32/2795_2.png) [@Khodu](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Khodu)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 12:13pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/15 "2017-01-31T12:13:51Z")
Mistborn: The Final Empire. Kelsier is the perfect example of this. ---
**Author:** ![mlucas](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/mlucas/32/275_2.png) [@mlucas](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/mlucas)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2017, 2:09pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/16 "2017-02-04T14:09:30Z")
I’d say in _The Princess Bride_ Westley is the IC Protagonist. ---
**Author:** ![HaroldLloyd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/haroldlloyd/32/405_2.png) [@HaroldLloyd](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/HaroldLloyd)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/17 "2017-02-04T21:33:51Z")
Tangentially related: taking the concept further, some examples of the rare “the mc is neither the protagonist nor the antagonist AND the ic is also neither:” To Kill a Mockingbird The Cooler ---
**Author:** ![Greg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@Greg](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Greg)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 5:39pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/18 "2017-02-06T17:39:48Z")
ET in ET: The Extra Terrestrial. ---
**Author:** ![RailwayAdventurer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@RailwayAdventurer](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/RailwayAdventurer)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 3:02am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/19 "2017-02-15T03:02:23Z")
̶W̶e̶l̶l̶,̶ ̶A̶t̶t̶i̶c̶u̶s̶ ̶(̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶I̶C̶)̶ ̶a̶c̶t̶u̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶t̶a̶g̶o̶n̶i̶s̶t̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶"̶T̶o̶ ̶K̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶a̶ ̶M̶o̶c̶k̶i̶n̶g̶b̶i̶r̶d̶.̶"̶ ̶H̶o̶w̶e̶v̶e̶r̶,̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶h̶a̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶L̶o̶g̶i̶c̶ ̶c̶h̶a̶r̶a̶c̶t̶e̶r̶i̶s̶t̶i̶c̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶M̶o̶t̶i̶v̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶q̶u̶a̶d̶.̶ ̶ ̶S̶o̶u̶r̶c̶e̶:̶ ̶"̶T̶o̶ ̶K̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶a̶ ̶M̶o̶c̶k̶i̶n̶g̶b̶i̶r̶d̶"̶ ̶D̶r̶a̶m̶a̶t̶i̶c̶a̶ ̶F̶i̶l̶e̶,̶ ̶i̶n̶c̶l̶u̶d̶e̶d̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶g̶r̶a̶m̶.̶ My mistake. Arthur Radley is the IC. ---
**Author:** ![actingpower](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/actingpower/32/2201_2.png) [@actingpower](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/actingpower)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 2:19pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802/20 "2017-02-15T14:19:14Z")
Atticus isn’t the IC. He doesn’t affect Scout’s central worldview. That would be Boo Radley, her mysterious neighbor. [Next page](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/influence-character-who-is-also-protagonist/802.md?page=2)