Identiical Twins living in the Post-Apocalyptic Caribbean have their village attacked by pirates, one of them is taken and the village is destroyed; unable to make contact one devotes his life to saving his brother while the other slowly becomes identical to the very pirates that pillaged his town.

Symmetry

13 reviews

dpg Singularity · 112,231 pts

>>After all that search, we discover that the niece has grown to be closer to her kidnapper who raised her than her biological family.

Not only that, the John Wayne character, Ethan Edwards, initially wants to kill her for that reason. (Another possible plot point : what would the good brother do upon discovering that the leader of pirates who have pillaged and plundered his community is his brother?)

Former member Penpusher · 20 pts

I love that idea.
The movie "The Searchers" with John Wayne has a similar theme. After all that search, we discover that the niece has grown to be closer to her kidnapper who raised her than her biological family.

Another possibility would have both brothers making very different choices for the same reason.
Two identical brothers, same background, same education, two completely different choices lead to two completely different lives. Something bad happening to their shared love interest (injury, rape, ...) could be the reason. While being apart, they are still close together as both brothers still compete for the love and affection of that woman. Both trying to support her using their own personal situation. The pirate by smuggling drugs and weapons. The villager by bringing food. Until the big showdown.

There is a French book about that same situation during the Second World War between two brothers. One is resistant, the other is a collaborate ur. When one killed, the other one decide to assume both identity. In order to restore their brotherhood and avenge his brother, he erase (kills) all the person involved in their lives. Their shared love interest is the only one who at the end realise what is going on, but We the reader never find out which one was killed.

dpg Singularity · 112,231 pts

>>He?s going to know, but it?s not going to stop him from doing what he has to do to survive.

My concern with this it that in the 3rd act, it seems to be a weak choice for a leading character -- even if he's the bad guy. (The pirate is the villain, isn't he?)

A character might act to merely survive in the 1st Act, but during the course of the 2nd Act, he should grow through his character arc (for better or worse) to be able to act for some purpose other than merely to save his skin.

So that at the climax in the 3rd Act, he willingly risks all -- including his life -- for some cause, some purpose, or (strongest and best of all choices) to save the life of someone else (a stakes character or stake community).

sjbelko 0 pts

Oh i definitely intend to. When I put up the logline I really just wanted to get the idea out there so it was a very rough draft. I think dpg?s version is on point and with a tweak or two it?d be perfect

keithrafalko 0 pts

Interesting for sure. I tend to agree more with "dpg" interpretation of your logline. You have a great story to tell but the logline needs to be shortened by taken unnecessary wording out. I would tweek dpg's suggestion and make it my own.

sjbelko 0 pts

Trust me there are some very important details in the story that root in the setting, just sort of think lostish with towns. This post-apocalyptic caribbean is where everyone went if they escaped. They're worn down but not absolutely horrible. Also pirates were not very common before the setting of the story, they were sometimes thought of as myths bc they never had came to the islands. They are from another continent or chain of islands and are on a mission to harvest anything they can from every island they see.