The significance of absence in storytelling
When does the absence of a supporting character take over a narrative? Or at least impact it massively?
Two clear examples from my fave fandom, the Morseverse:
Susan’s absence in Endeavour (we never see her barring the one imaginary sequence in the pilot) is so much more powerful and consequential than Susan Fallon’s appearance and subsequent death in Inspector Morse, even though the latter is played by the incomparable Joanna David
Val Lewis in Inspector Morse gets perhaps 90 seconds screen time, and as the wife of the sidekick, has zero impact beyond establishing her existence along with that of his family. Val Lewis’ headstone in Lewis gets perhaps 60 seconds on screen altogether, but her loss shapes so many undercurrents throughout that show
What do you feel? Look forward to more examples.
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Minor Characters - The Sun Trail
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NOTE: Some of these aren't from the wiki, as I highlighted somethings that I think are minor characters.
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"Skinny cats," - pg. 1 | Honestly, I think these are all the cats in the cave.
"The elders," - pg. 1 | Misty Water, Lion's Roar, Silver Frost, and Snow Hare.
"Desperately mewling kits," - pg. 1 | Jagged Peak, Fluttering Bird, Pine Snout, Jay Song, Flower Heart, and White Flame.
"Mewling kits' mothers," - pg. 1 | Quiet Rain and Hollow Tree.
"Several kits squabbling over an eagle's carcass," - pg. 1 | Aspen Whiskers, Leaf Brook, Pale Ripple, and Cherry Frost.
"A big ginger tom-kit," - pg. 1 | Aspen Whiskers.
"Smaller tabby she-kit," - pg. 1 | Leaf Brook.
"Ginger kit's mother," - pg. 2 | Blooming Sky.
"Group of cats returning from hunting," - pg. 3 | Shaded Moss, Sharp Hail, Jackdaw's Cry, Hawk Swoop, and Honey Skip.
"The several cats that sprang up to greet the returning cats," - pg. 3 | Quick Water, Falling Feather, and Tall Shadow.
"Cat that calls out eagerly," - pg. 3 | Falling Feather.
"Demanding cat," - pg. 3 | Quick Water.
"Leader of the returning cats," - pg. 3 | Shaded Moss.
"Several cats that crowd around Clear Sky and Gray Wing," - pg. 9 | Turtle Tail, Dark Cloud, Shattered Ice, and Thorn Foot.
"Returning hunting party," - pg. 16 | Shattered Ice, Turtle Tail, Dark Cloud, Falling Feather, and Moon Shadow.
"Yowling cat in the crowd around Shaded Moss," - pg. 17 | Thorn Foot.
"Three cats that are farther down the valley," - pg. 20 | Hollow Tree, Howling Wolf, and Sharp Hail.
"Groups of cats that are settled around the cavern's edges," - pg. 23 | Hollow Tree, Howling Wolf, Clear Sky, Bright Stream, Turtle Tail, Rainswept Flower, Honey Skip, and Mist Eye.
"Anxiously pacing cats," - pg. 23 | Twisted Branch, Snow Hare, Silver Frost, and Lark Tail.
"The kits that Jagged Peak is playing with," - pg. 28 | Pale Ripple, Pine Snout, Leaf Brook, and Aspen Whiskers.
"Tabby she-cat that Jagged Peak is wrestling with," - pg. 28 | Leaf Brook.
"The other cats that crowd Shaded Moss with questions," - pg. 29 | Falling Feather, Shattered Ice, Blooming Sky, Lion's Roar, Moon Shadow, and Dappled Pelt.
"The other cats that let Gray Wing pass," - pg. 29 | All the cats that are questioning Shaded Moss and that returned with Shaded Moss.
"The larger group that are around Shaded Moss," - pg. 32 | Bright Stream, Mist Eye, Blooming Sky, Dark Cloud, and Hawk Swoop.
"Shaded Moss's mother," - pg. 135 | Foggy Dove.
"Huge brown dog," - pg. 137 | Johnny. (Some of the other minor character pages include dogs and twolegs, so I'm just gonna do that.)
"Huge fluffy black-and-white kittypet tom," - pg. 146 | Bandit.
"Ginger kittypet she-cat," - pg. 146 | Mia.
"A long-legged brown-and-gray tabby tom 'The Stranger'," - pg. 163 | Grouse, later renamed Grouse Step.
"Three dogs that chased the cats," - pg. 168 | Ashley, a large dark gray female greyhound. Chai, a small tan-white-and-black male beagle. Eggo, a large male golden retriever.
"Ginger cat," - pg. 187 | Flax, she-cat.
"Black-and-white cat," -pg. 187 | Eel, tom.
"Cats that are disappearing into the bushes," - pg. 197 | Petal and Fox.
"Couple of nosy cats that Quick Water chased away," - pg. 233 | Fox and Petal.
"Small black dog that chases Gray Wing," - pg. 295 | Sooty.
"The three cats that Petal and Fox meet as kits," - pg. 4, bonus scene | Misty, Falcon, and Vine.
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