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Weird post. I was thinking today about what Superhero Nation’s endgame looks like. Have you ever read 300 pages only to find that the last 25 ruined the first 275? (Jacob wisely calls this phenomenon “Matrix Syndrome”). From the writer’s perspective, Matrix Syndrome is particularly tricky because you’ve already written so much, which limits your choice of ending (”sunk costs“). Generally, it’s easiest to write towards an ending rather than end something midstream. Otherwise, writers might lean towards writing a story that consists of one subplot after another rather than one continuous plot.

A related problem is Muppet Syndrome, which is when an author ramps up his story in terms of weirdness or intensity. So, instead of just destroying a Death Star, you’ll destroy a bigger Death Star… with muppets. In superhero stories, Muppet Syndrome usually manifests as a superhero being drawn into increasingly “epic”/bizarre plots.

Let’s look at Spiderman for a second. He’s one of the most normal, down-to-Earth superheroes ever (that’s a huge part of his appeal). But even he’s not immune to jaw-droppingly strange plotlines.

1. He grows 8 arms.
2. His parents were actually CIA agents that got whacked by Red Skull. They must be the worst CIA agents ever, because Red Skull couldn’t even kill Captain America. And the Captain is one of America’s physically and emotionally weakest superheroes. Hell, a US sniper capped him. (Booyah!)
3. His sister is a supervillainess.
4. Peter Parker was actually a clone of the unanimously despised Ben “Reviley” Reilly… until he wasn’t.
5. Dr. Octopus marries Aunt May– I’m not making this up– so that he can steal her deed to a nuclear power plant.
6. The government owns him… 13th amendment be damned!
7. JJ Thompson’s son, an astronaut and a rival for Mary Jane, turns into a werewolf. (Between Thompson Jr, the Fantastic Four and the Green Lantern, it almost makes you wonder what NASA is really up to).

Then there’s intensity. Most stories will naturally ramp up in intensity, which is problematic when heroes do something that’s far beyond their scope. For example, it’s normal and appropriate for Superman, Green Lantern and the Fantastic Four to have adventures in space. If New York’s neighborhood Spiderman did the same, it’d be weird. Hell, Spiderman is local enough that even saving the world is uncharacteristic.

How does this all apply to Superhero Nation?

I’ve written an ending to a story featuring the first three chapters. This allowed me to test some characteristics of the ending. I also tried a different style of writing. The consensus in the class was that it was both easier to understand and faster-paced.

You can download this mini-ending here.

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