The Mercenary (when will I discuss his real name in public? Never.)
Origin story for their name?
Embarrassingly, the Blacklist which, for the record, I haven’t watched much of, but that was the inspiration in giving Merc his callsign. He used to have a different one which was too edgy and honestly, too personal, and the Blacklist gave me the epiphany of like, why don’t I just call him The Job, that’s all he is and all he wants to be, anyway, he is The Job.
Compare and contrast your character from their first concept to how they are now.
He started out as a WWI veteran turned reluctant 1920s gangster, and look at him now. His original 20s version and modern interpretation are so far apart now that although they share a name, I don’t consider them to be the same character. His 20s self was far more open and vulnerable, kind and caring and gentle, but not as sharp, a little naive, and there was no real direction to his story other than I adore the aesthetic and love prohibition and crime and tragic antiheroes.
His modern interpretation is far crueler and closed off, disillusioned, dishonorable and corrupt; far more observant and intelligent; but still a very gentle man beneath it all and, with all of the above said, I still do think that they share a lot of the same core values/tell similar stories, even if (modern) Merc’s is far more purposeful than his 20s self’s.
What do you hope people get out of your character’s narrative?
IDK that I hope people get anything out of it. The main themes I’m trying to focus on are the effects and results of trauma and mental illness left unchecked; what a person looks like when their sole purpose is not living, but surviving; man against the world; and the constant, non-linear, uphill battle of recovery.
Four of your favorite traits of your character?
So, so gentle and sensitive, my sweet boy (or, as Eugene Hutz put it in Everything Is Illuminated: Okay, she is deranged, but so so playful)
Most challenging aspect of writing your character?
Constantly pushing and pulling him, trying to find balance between how personable and dissociated I want him to be. How extreme I want him to be in the name of telling a story vs. how realistic. How true I want to stay to his character vs. how many small compromises I’m willing to make for the sake of making things work.
I also feel like there are so many aspects and little details to his character that I tend to focus on one Area at a time and neglect the rest, while what I really need to do is figure out how to do it bigger-picture.
If this is an OC, do you have any media inspiration for your character?
So many, I’m sure i’m forgetting half of them, but off of the top of my head: Jake Arnott’s The Long Firm as well as subsequent BBC miniseries of the same name; the biography of Richard Kuklinski; the James Bond franchise (specifically Craigverse); HOTLINE MIAMI(!!!); various Chuck Palahniuk novels; Sicario; Jarhead; Ron Hansen’s The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford; various episodes from various podcasts on crime lords and mercenaries.
What do you find most unique about your character?
Honestly? I’ve always advertised Merc as a cliche and I don’t think there’s anything particularly special about him (other than being a 7 foot ginger, LMAO). I do think his portrayal is interesting and round and I love him very dearly.
Favorite kinds of interaction dynamics?
I don’t think I have a particular type that I favor since I genuinely like exploring my boys with all sorts, and getting to explore them with all sorts makes for unique interactions. I can talk about the kinds of interactions I’m currently looking to explore, which are: other veterans and/or mercenaries who Get It!!! Silent, private or standoffish characters which won’t necessarily push him to open up/will be cool with his own silence! Clients he actually enjoys working for and is possibly pals with/can maybe rely on??(!!!!) Civilians who have absolutely nothing to do with any important aspect of his life and like, meet him by accident? Maybe they’re bird aficionados? Maybe they just like guns and happen to be in the booth next to his at the range? Who tf knows!
Lastly, if someone was to audition to play your character in a movie, what would be the introductory description to who your character is?
You know Fez from Euphoria? So like, that, but less openly loveable and much more visibly intimidating. No one wants to fuck with you but you desperately want to be fucked with. You know that no take, ONLY throw meme? So like, no look, ONLY notice.
Tagging: @all--mirrors, @aftermathed (Tem, Grey!), @inrovina but also @holyrots (Elias maybe??)