#corruption arcs

Me when a character who was formerly good gets corrupted and worn down and becomes one of the bad guys and every fight between them and the good guys is charged with so much angst and layers because of their shared history

Hi, I’m A.M. [ any prns | latine | goth ]

I am an artist, writer, teacher, and lifelong student (at the time of writing this, I'm two weeks from graduating with my second degree). I've been writing since I was a kid, starting with fanfiction like many of my age; however, I didn't start writing seriously until 2022. I was tired of never finishing a single project, so I told myself I couldn't write fanfiction or start another project until I finished my primary project (Nightmares + Serenades). Romance and fantasy have always been the genres closest to me, but the dark Gothic side of life has grasped me in its cold embrace. One word that many peers and betas have used to describe my writing is "immense."

I'm a writer who loves: 🩸 All things Gothic: Horror, Romance, and Fantasy

Hello!

Ooh, evil chlonette! There's numerous ways to write/execute it, but if I had to choose (I'm actually planning an anti-hero/corruption-ish arc for them for my chlonette verse) I'd make Chloe go corrupted first. She's been akumatized for what, 7 times? And I think there's more to come if the writers won't write her off yet. Anyways, it starts when she's finally had enough and sticking to canon (for a bit), she doesn't have anyone to lean on or let alone talk to. Lila, after obtaining Nooroo, offers her a fresh start as being her right hand woman (again). Chloe accepts, what else can she do at this point? Everything's hazy, confusing, blinding and all she wants is to do something - anything. She gets the peacock miraculous which Lila has already akumatized (she doesn't want Chloe to escape) and since Chloe's been akumatized (her previous ones being very powerful) she doesn't notice the sudden charge of powers that aren't the same with the bee.

The corruption is slow, the magic seeps into her the more she fights and wears the Peafowl miraculous until she finally struggles whenever she's de-transformed. It becomes a lifeline and slowly, her memories start becoming hazy. Her emotions are both all over the place but it's pushed at the back of her mind. She's slowly stopping being Chloe, and becoming what Lila wants - a weapon. But it's gonna backfire in the long run cause while Chloe is losing some of her memories, it gives her less inhibitions to anything. Like her obsession with Marinette and Ladybug.

I had two possible endings for it. Either Chloe is 'saved' or she's managed to defeat (debating if I should have it as death or keep it PG) most of the heroes and toys with Ladybug. Ladybug is frustrated and angry and just close to getting akumatized herself. But whenever the butterfly gets too close and she's struggling to fight it, Chloe snatches it off.

"Stop. Succumb to it willingly. You don't have to keep on fighting me, Ladybug. Become my other half and together we can rule Paris with no limitations."

Lila scoffs the first time Chloe explained her reason, saying she was still obsessed with the red clad hero even before she was offered the peafowl miraculous. Chloe doesn't budge, and Lila can't lose a valuable asset so she doesn't push. For now.

I want the corruption for Ladybug to be confusing until it's blinding. Why is Chloe stopping her from getting akumatized? Why is she not finishing her off and taking her miraculous? Why is she taking her time? Why is Chloe not acting like Chloe?

During their fights and interactions, they talk. They spit poisoned words and cusses and Chloe is thrilled. Thrilled that Ladybug does have darkness within her. Thrilled that her obsession wasn't misplaced and if she played her cards right, Ladybug would be obsessed with her.

Once she's fallen (maddeningly) in love with Chloe, she accepts the butterfly and together they (easily) take down Lila and rule Paris. Very slow burn-ish.

We've all heard of character's who get corrupted by other people, or due to external circumstances. But what about characters who corrupt...themselves?

So how do you write a character like that?

#1. Give them a 'dark side'

These characters might be the sunniest, most friendly people you've ever met, but give them a dark side. Even if most of the characters don't see it, it lingers in the character's mind, and the subtleties in their behaviour. Their dark side has the potential to overwhelm them - but they fight it. There need to be people/events/memories that trigger this dark side :D

#2. What caused this dark side?

Painful, past trauma, or perhaps a situation that required this dark side to exist. Try to create a complex. woven backstory that seems organic and true to their dark side - the dark side is the result of their past, not the other way around. A character who lives to avenge their parents would probably be envious of their friends' parents.

#3. Their descent

What differs these characters from regular corrupted characters that their decsent to darkness is inveitable. No matter what happens, even if they 'win' - these characters are drawn to darkness of their own will. While there needs to be a 'trigger' of sorts - it doesn't need to be as dramatic as that of a 'trigger' in a corruption arc. For example, a character has to spend a few days in isolation, away from everyone who grounds them to reality. This could also serve as a trigger.

#4. Show their evilness

Show them being evil. Show them doing bad things. Show them hurting the people they love. Unlike ordinary corrupted characters, whose 'darkness' is not as thick, these kind of characters willingly gave into the darkness within themselves, so they spare no mercy to those around them. They don't make concessions for the people who loved them...

#5. The (possible) redemption

The only way for characters like them to get redeemed is by solving whatever caused this 'darkness' inside them in the first place. These kind of stories tend to revolve around characters who learn to let go of the past, or learn forgiveness - alternatively, it can be them resolving their trauma, or having someone who guides them to the light. It depends - and of course, not all characters who corrupt themselves need to be redeemed :P