(Referring to this post here.)
Can you explain what's the difference between proactive and reactive character? From what I gather, proactive characters do actions that "fowards the plot" while reactive characters just follow whatever the plot tells them to do.
@totallyauselesstrashcan ,, I figured I should make a separate post about this! Since it's a lot to explain. I'm gonna use TADC as an example because most characters seem to just watch the environment around them. This is my take on why the Jax-favortism worked so well.
A proactive character like Caine creates the narrative's momentum by imposing his will on the environment. He doesn't wait for the circus members to suggest an activity; he manifests an adventure, teleports everyone to a new location, and sets the stakes. When writing fanfic or even just a story, a proactive character is the one who says, "I'm going to do this," and the rest of the cast is forced to deal with the fallout. They provide the "action" that prevents a story from feeling stagnant.
A reactive character like Pomni (especially in the Pilot) usually serves as the audience's anchor by responding to the chaos. Her entire arc is a series of reactions, like her reacting to her new body, reacting to the exit signs, and reacting to Kaufmo’s abstraction. She isn't choosing these events; she is a victim of them. In writing, reactive characters are great for building tension and showing the weight of a world, but if they stay reactive for too long without ever making a counter-move, the audience can start to feel as trapped and frustrated as the character is. This is also why in Episode 8, you might've gone, "Really? It took that long for them to finally do something?" because the build up wasn't... great.
The shift into Active writing happens when a character stops just enduring and starts manipulating the system. Jax is a great example of a character who is technically trapped (reactive) but chooses to be proactive by causing mischief. He actively hunts for keys, insults others to see their reactions, and disrupts Caine's games. A bored character like Jax has his own mini-goals, and the writing creates friction against Caine’s main plot, which keeps the scene from feeling like everyone is just waiting around for the episode to end. This is why a lot of the narrative favoritism is going to Jax because it quite literally is.
TL:DR: Proactive characters like Caine or Jax drive the story by making intentional choices that force the world to change. Reactive characters like Pomni primarily respond to the environment, which is often necessary for survival but can lead to boring writing if they never gain agency or a goal. Reactive writing fails when it lacks friction. If every character is just waiting for things to happen, the plot becomes a stagnant series of events rather than a meaningful journey.