History Analysis / AceCombatZeroTheBelkanWar

Following is an overview of Solo Wing Pixy's character arc in ''Zero'', using [[https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/learn-5-types-of-character-arc-at-a-glance-the-3-negative-arcs-part-2-of-2/ K.M. Weiland's Fall Arc model]] of negative character arcs as the analysis framework.

To begin, it is important to note that when we, as Cipher, first meet Pixy, he is heavily implied to be half-way through some kind of character arc already. He is a storied veteran worthy of [[RedBaron his own moniker]], and, as we discover much later, he comes from Belka. It can be inferred that he was a member of the Belkan Air Force himself, but appears to have left of his own accord and struck out as a mercenary. The fact that he continues to fly ''against'' his home country but only a soldier of fortune suggests a major disillusionment with organized armed forces at large, yet he is not yet ready to abandon military aviation.

## '''Hook''': ''Character believes the Lie.'' Being a side character, Pixy's character arc takes a backstage in the first half of the game. The Lie That Pixy Believes throughout missions 1 to 10 ("Mayhem") is that by fighting for the weaker side in a war (Ustio), he helps bring about a better peace, which is also his Want. His Ghost is never specified, but is implied to be whatever badness had happened to him in Belka that caused him to defect in the first place (judging by his lines in mission 11, he may have been witness to or even complicit in Belkan war crimes). Pixy's Need, which he refuses to recognize at this point, to quit military aviation altogether.
## '''Inciting Event''': ''First hint that the Lie won't save or reward.'' Pixy's character arc in ''Zero'' is kicked off by the bombing of Hoffnung in mission 11 ("Inferno"). While he does his best to play the KnightInSourArmor part in front of PJ, his post-mission monologue makes it clear his belief that he is fighting for the right cause is shattered.
## '''1st Plot Point''': ''The Lie is completely ineffective; character makes a move towards the Truth.'' After Hoffnung, Pixy seems to set his mind on ending his mercenary career, though he does not share his decision with Cipher.

## '''2nd Pinch Point''': ''The new Lie is effective, but destructive.'' This stages takes place entirely off-screen, from Cipher's perspective. As AWWNB ramps up its operations, culminating in the bombing of Valais Air Base in mission 15 ("Talon of Ruin"), Pixy likely perceives it as progress, despite all of the collateral damage.

## '''Resolution''': ''Aftermath''. Against his own expectations, Pixy survives and is nursed back to health by his countrymen. But while Larry Foulke the man, indeed, lives on, Solo Wing Pixy the ace pilot is dead, as Larry will never fly a fighter jet ever again. Ironically, his greatest failure ends up accidentally fulfilling his Need.

We present a brief beat-by-beat breakdown of Solo Wing Pixy's character arc in ''Zero'', using [[https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/learn-5-types-of-character-arc-at-a-glance-the-3-negative-arcs-part-2-of-2/ K.M. Weiland's Fall Arc model]] of negative character arcs as analysis framework.

# Act III (missions 17 to 18):

# Act II (mission 12 to 15):

# Act III (mission 17 to 18):

# Act I:

## '''Inciting Event''': ''First hint that the Lie won't save or reward.'' Pixy's character arc in ''Zero'' is kicked off by the bombing of Hoffnung. While he does his best to play the KnightInSourArmor part in front of PJ, his post-mission monologue makes it clear his belief that he is fighting for the right cause is shattered.

# Act II:

# Act III:

In which we present a brief beat-by-beat analysis of Solo Wing Pixy's character arc in ''Zero'', using [[https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/learn-5-types-of-character-arc-at-a-glance-the-3-negative-arcs-part-2-of-2/ K.M. Weiland's Fall Arc model]] of negative character arcs as a framework.

To begin, it is important to note that when we, as Cipher, first meet Pixy, he is heavily implied to be half way through some kind of character arc already. He is a storied veteran worthy of [[RedBaron his own moniker]], and, as we discover much later, he comes from Belkan, and it can be inferred that he himself was a member of the legendary Belkan Air Force -- but appears to have left of his own accord and struck out as a mercenary. The fact that he continues to fly ''against'' his home country but only a soldier of fortune suggests a major disillusionment with organized armed forces at large, yet he is not ready to abandon aviation yet.

## '''Hook''': ''Character believes the Lie.'' Being a side character, Pixy's character arc takes the backstage in the first half of the game. The Lie That Pixy Believes throughout missions 1 to 10 ("Mayhem") appears to be that by offering his fighting skills to the defending side in a war, he will make a positive impact on the world. His Ghost is never specified, but is implied to be whatever badness had happened to him in Belka that caused him to defect in the first place. Judging by his lines in mission 11 (see below), he may have been witness to or even complicit in Belkan war crimes, so his Want may be to end the war by helping the aggressors' victims, while his Need may be to quit military aviation altogether.
## '''Inciting Event''': ''First hint that the Lie won't save or reward.'' Pixy's story arc proper is kicked off by the bombing of Hoffnung. While he does his best to play the KnightInSourArmor part in front of PJ, his post-mission lines reveal that his belief that he is fighting for the right cause is heavily shaken.
## '''1st Plot Point''': ''The Lie is completely ineffective; character makes a move towards the Truth.'' After Hoffnung, Pixy seems to decide on quitting his mercenary life, though he does not share his decision with Cipher.

## '''Midpoint/2nd Plot Point''': ''Character glimpses the Truth, rejects it, and embraces an even worse Lie.'' At the end of mission 12, Pixy is recruited by Joshua Bristow into A World With No Boundaries and hands in his resignation by firing at Cipher. Instead of his old Lie, "Fighting for the weak will stop the war", Pixy embraces Joshua's Lie: "Nation states are incorrigible and need to be wiped out to stop all wars."
## '''2nd Pinch Point''': ''The new Lie is effective, but destructive.'' This stages takes place entirely off-screen, from Cipher's perspective. As AWWNB ramps up its operations, culminating in the bombing of Valais Air Base in mission 15 ("Talon of Ruin"), Pixy likely perceives it as progress, despite all the collateral damage.

## '''3rd Plot Point''': ''Complete failure to gain either Want or Need.'' As Allied nations gang up on AWWNB and launch an assault on the Avalon Dam, Pixy's Want (an end to all wars between nation states) is on the brink of failure. His Need is also abandoned when he once again has to take off in ADFX-02 Morgan in mission 17 ("Valley of Kings").

## '''Resolution''': ''Aftermath''. Against his own expectations, Pixy survives the crash and is nursed back to health by his countrymen. And while Larry Foulke the man, indeed, survives, Solo Wing Pixy the ace pilot is dead, as Larry has never flown again since then, thus ironically fulfilling his Need through his greatest failure.

When Brett Thompson interviews him ten years later, Pixy is driven by a new Need to make sense of his actions during the Belkan War, through understanding the concept of borders. He doesn't hold a grudge against Cipher and is, in fact, thankful to him for setting him on a better path.

In which we present a brief beat-by-beat analysis of Solo Wing Pixy's character arc in ''Zero'', according to [[https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/learn-5-types-of-character-arc-at-a-glance-the-3-negative-arcs-part-2-of-2/ K.M. Weiland's Fall Arc model]] of negative character arcs.