How to Write Devastating Betrayals (Pt. 1)
Here are some elements + tips on satisfying betrayals that will destroy both your characters AND your readers!
1. Relationship Between Trust and Betrayal
MORE TRUST = WORSE BETRAYAL
This is because TRUST implies 2 main things:
The traitor has probably PROVEN their trustworthiness, and now has a shared history + bond with the character they’re betraying
The traitor probably has access to a LOT OF INFORMATION about the character, whether it’s career-wise or personal. Probably at least some information the character considers STRICTLY confidential
An act of betrayal undermines Point 1 by manipulating Point 2 to their advantage.
So, if you want your betrayal to DESTROY, have the traitor be CLOSE with the character they’re about to betray. Lets compare examples:
you are a gang boss. You hire a new recruit who doesn’t really know anything except one insignificant operation, like “today we buy groceries at 2PM”
your recruit tells the rival gang about the grocery trip
→ betrayal doesn’t really matter that much
you probably didn’t place much trust in a new recruit
the implications of information leak are insignificant
you find out that the entire time, your RIGHT HAND MAN (also your childhood friend!) has been feeding information to the rival gang and sabotaging your operations
→ HURTS a lot more emotionally
might ruin everything you’ve built, career-wise, for good
From a completely SECULAR PLOT STANDPOINT (please don’t come for me, theologians), Judas’ betrayal of Jesus is a good example because:
Judas was one of Jesus’ disciples, a.k.a. the people considered closest to him, and who followed Jesus throughout all of his preaching years
Judas’ information about Jesus’ identity and whereabouts led to Jesus’ crucifixion → LOTS of plot weight (the entire Bible from a Christian standpoint foreshadows this moment, and every point after is spreading word of this moment. Talk about plot implications!)
ONCE AGAIN, I know all the “Jesus knew and allowed it to happen” “it was the will of God” stuff but this is purely used as a good plot example!!!!
“’Cause it’s super edgy/evil/cool” is DEFINITELY not a valid option.
All the plot points in a book build towards achieving a goal, and all the characters do things they think will get them closer to what they want. Likewise, the traitor must want a specific thing that ONLY betrayal can get them, or that betrayal can get them more efficiently.
People generally portray typical traitors as:
completely selfish with no personality trait aside from infinite ambition and ruthless pragmatism
someone who sees the person they betrayed as a “worthless disposable” or something
Traitors don’t have to be morally bankrupt, even though betrayal is typically seen as something inherently bad, or just a bad means to a good end at best.
They can be conflicted about the betrayal (like Macbeth delaying his murder of King Duncan), remorseful about it (like Discord from MLP feeling super guilty after he hands the main protagonists over to the villain), or even do it for the “greater good.”
e.g. Brutus thought Caesar was becoming too power hungry, and would destroy the republic by becoming a dictator, so Brutus betrayed him to preserve the republic
→ example of a betrayal that was NOT self-serving
However, building on the MLP Discord example, a traitor can also have been manipulated into it themselves.
(For context, the villain basically promised Discord lots of power if he handed over the protagonists, but then the villain also sucked away Discord’s powers afterwards—won’t bother explaining MLP magic mechanics LOL)
A satisfying betrayal is usually a subtle, looming shadow that creeps over your plot before it makes its grand entrance during the scene when the character realizes the traitor sold them out.
A good example is in Shakespeare’s dramatization of Brutus’ betrayal:
Brutus’ loyalty to the REPUBLIC is made super clear throughout. When Caesar starts deviating, seeming more dictatorial, Brutus remains firm.
Their values are CLEARLY conflicting, so SOMETHING has to be done. Either:
they reconcile by both agreeing on either dictatorship or democracy
they turn on each other…and that’s what happens
Basically, planting the possibility in your reader’s mind is a great way to foreshadow a betrayal.
traitor begins suddenly acting a lot warmer to the unsuspecting character, or even colder right BEFORE the betrayal
traitor is always TOO obedient and/or sycophantic
traitor acts suspicious, e.g. caught in lies, using inconsistent body language (ex. pretending to cry when talking about something really bad), caught talking to people they shouldn’t be talking to (e.g. rival gang)
instagram: @ grace_should_write
Hope this was helpful, and let me know if you have any questions by commenting, re-blogging, or DMing me on IG. Any and all engagement is appreciated <3333
Happy writing, and have a great day!
blakekathryn
germansingergirl
yousharknotpass
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