Thread:SpiritedDreaming/@comment-24857712-20180712124300/@comment-26397825-20190904045151

No. Do not give him a terminal illness.

Here's a writing exercise for you; make a complex character that is flawed and has depth without relying on Edgy influences creating drama in his life beyond how he interacts with other people. No "bandits wiped out my family", "I have a terminal illness", "I have a mental disorder", "I'm being blackmailed by a criminal element".

Purely, and simply, the character alone who has his own likes, dislikes, ways of reacting to scenarios, thoughts on stuff that doesn't align with your every time, etc. If it helps, write small sections of a story for them.

Write them being thrown off the Beacon cliff for initiation; are they excited, incredulous, scared, bored, apathetic, focused, determined? How do they land, what do they think of their new partner upon meeting them? Are their first impressions correct?

Write them going to see a movie; what kind of movie do they see? What kind of drinks and snacks do they get, where do they sit, are they the type to put their phone on silent or leave it in hopes no one will call, or maybe they are the type to sit on their phone gossiping with friends about what they're seeing? Are they an annoyance for people around them, or do they get easily annoyed by someone sitting in front of them or people talking around them?

Try exploring their character through smaller things like this, fleshing them out and making a normal but still interesting character.