Deuteragonist

In practice

The deuteragonist is the second most important character in a story, after the protagonist. The word comes from Greek theater, where it meant the second actor, and today it names the character whose story matters almost as much as the hero's: Dr. Watson beside Sherlock Holmes, Samwise Gamgee beside Frodo, Buzz Lightyear beside Woody.

For writers, a strong deuteragonist is a second engine for the story. They have their own goal, their own flaw and often their own arc, and their relationship with the protagonist is usually the emotional center of the film. Buddy movies, romances and two-handers are built on the pairing, and many ensemble stories turn out to have one at their core.

The common mistake is treating the deuteragonist as a sidekick who exists only to help or to listen. A deuteragonist who wants nothing of their own is a supporting character, not a second lead. Give them a desire that sometimes conflicts with the protagonist's, and scenes between the two will have the tension that makes them worth watching.

A second lead with a goal of her own

Ruiz is not here to help Cole catch his man. She has her own goal, a career that could put her against him, and she raises it at the worst possible moment. The case is the protagonist's plot; the partnership is the deuteragonist's, and the scene works because both are in play at once.

What a deuteragonist is

A deuteragonist is the second most important character in a narrative, after the protagonist. Merriam-Webster defines it as the actor taking the part of second importance in a classical Greek drama, and, by extension, the person who serves as a foil to the protagonist or main character. The word comes from the Greek deuteragonistes, from deuteros, "second," and agonistes, "actor" or "competitor."

In Greek tragedy the protagonist, deuteragonist and tritagonist were the first, second and third actors, who played all the speaking roles between them by changing masks. Aristotle's Poetics records that Aeschylus raised the number of actors from one to two, and that Sophocles added the third. The terms described the performers before they described characters.

Today the deuteragonist may be the protagonist's friend, partner, lover, rival or even enemy. What defines the role is importance, not attitude: the deuteragonist has the second-largest share of the story, and the audience cares about their fate nearly as much as the hero's.

Deuteragonist examples

Dr. Watson is the classic literary deuteragonist. He narrates most of the Sherlock Holmes stories, and his ordinary perspective makes Holmes's brilliance visible. In The Lord of the Rings, Samwise Gamgee carries Frodo up Mount Doom, and many readers see his loyalty as the heart of the story.

In Toy Story, Woody is the protagonist and Buzz Lightyear the deuteragonist: Buzz has his own arc, from believing he is a real space ranger to accepting that he is a toy. In Thelma & Louise both women share the story, but Louise drives the plot early and Thelma changes most, which is why critics argue about which is the protagonist.

Antagonists can be deuteragonists. In Heat, Al Pacino's detective and Robert De Niro's thief receive nearly equal screen time and sympathy, and the film is built on their parallel lives. Some critics call Javert the deuteragonist of Les Misérables for the same reason: his story mirrors Valjean's to the end.

Deuteragonist vs. sidekick and tritagonist

A sidekick is a companion whose main job is to support the hero, often with humor. A sidekick can be a deuteragonist, as Samwise is, but many sidekicks are minor characters with no story of their own. The difference is weight: a deuteragonist's choices change the plot, and their arc matters on its own terms.

The tritagonist is the third most important character, after the protagonist and deuteragonist. In Greek theater it meant the third actor. In a modern story it is often a character who connects or complicates the two leads, such as Ron or Hermione beside Harry in the early Harry Potter books.

Deuteragonist is also different from antagonist. The antagonist is defined by opposing the protagonist; the deuteragonist is defined by importance. A story's deuteragonist may be its antagonist, as in Heat, but in most stories the second lead is an ally, a love interest or a partner.

Why deuteragonists matter

A deuteragonist gives the protagonist someone to talk to, argue with and change because of. Many of the protagonist's choices only become visible when someone close to them reacts, and that reaction is often where the audience learns what a choice costs.

The deuteragonist can also carry the story's theme from another angle. If the protagonist learns to trust, the deuteragonist may learn to let go; if the protagonist chases revenge, the deuteragonist may stand for mercy. Two arcs that answer each other make a story feel complete.

In screenwriting, the relationship between the leads often provides the B story: a second line of action, usually emotional, that runs alongside the main plot and comes to a head near the climax. In buddy films and romances the B story and the deuteragonist are often the same thing.

How to write a deuteragonist

Give them a want of their own. Before you write a scene, know what the deuteragonist is trying to get, apart from helping the protagonist. Their goal can align with the hero's, compete with it or quietly undermine it; any of these is better than having no goal at all.

Let them disagree. The most memorable pairings argue: Holmes and Watson, Butch and Sundance, Riggs and Murtaugh. Conflict between the leads keeps scenes alive even when the plot pauses, and it gives each character a chance to show who they are.

Give them an arc, or a reason not to have one. Most deuteragonists change over the story. When one does not, as with a steady Watson, the constancy should be deliberate, a fixed point against which the protagonist's change can be measured.