How can i go about this story?

I'll cut right to the chase; although i haven't actually written the story, i'm in the transition of writing a fanfiction season 2 for a show that i liked, which only had one season before being cancelled.

The show was about three teenagers that were given superpowers after being exposed to a mysterious chemical and the first half of my fan-made season two would have been about 2/3 of them being teleported across the galaxy, along with the leader's grandmother. The story would be them trying to find a way back to Earth along with new allies and them stopping an alien invasion of the galaxy.

The second half of my fan-made season 2 would focus on the remaining 3rd member of the team, who now must deal with issues back on Earth. Now this is actually where my issues start, as i have two possible scenarios to work with; in one, the remaining member of the trio discovers that he's the heir to a kingdom of highly evolved humanoid canines, and the story would mainly be about him adjusting to life as a royal while still protecting his new home. In the other scenario, the remaining member of the trio instead becomes the leader of his own motley crew of superheroes and must defend his city home from a looming evil.

The problems i have are as follows:

Idea 1: I want the character to be portrayed as a leader with great potential but little to no self-confidence, yet i frequently end up imagining him making decisions that lead to disaster.

Idea 2: I want the the character to be portrayed as one of the more serious and mature members of the team (in hopes of drawing some irony, considering how cocky he was in the first season), yet i keep ending up imagining him saying and doing things that are just stupid and immature.

In both ideas, i have 5 of the same problems:

1. I keep imagining the main female lead just being a co-dependent love interest who always supports the main character and is basically just his arm candy. You know that that's just being sexist and anti-feminist.

2. I want a villain from the first season to be reformed and be a hero in my season 2, but my mind keeps making me think of new ways for this character to betray the others. I wanted a complete reform, not a facade.

3. I want the group to be a close knit band that looks out for one another, enjoys each other's company and gives the impression that, when the battles are all over, they'd still be friends to the end. However, in my mind, i'm continuously haunted by the idea that these characters don't like each other or respect each other and would gladly go their separate ways when the opportunity comes.

4. In the original first season of the show, it was implied that the 3rd member of the trio was the one who caused the accident that gave the group their powers (and subsequently created one of the main villains). I wanted to write a way that confirms that that was, in fact, not the case, since if it was, then basically any heroics that the 3rd member of the trio did was just him stopping what he started, not very heroic.

5. In the original first season of the show, the heroes were on the fence with public opinion; some people thought that they were heroes, but others believed the mayor (who was one of the show's main villains) who had nothing but negative sentiments about them. I want to change that, but i'm in a pickle on the subject; if i make it too good for them, the idea leads to saccharine-ness and corny dialogue, but if i make it too realistic, it becomes all of the negative aspects of Marvel comics that i was hoping to avoid.

I'll say right now, i am drawing some of my ideas for this fanfiction from other shows and movies, but i really am trying to add something original.

Can anyone help me with this dilemma?

edited 11th Mar '14 1:46:48 PM by srebak

First off, it might help if you said what show you were talking about, or included a link to the trope page for it. For your first two ideas, I don't see a problem there, if that's where the character statrs from. It should take him some time to adjust to being in charge, and to learn the job skills/requirements of being in charge. You don't just spontaneously decide to be a leader and are good at it, it takes skills you need to learn. For points 1-3, you might want to repost in Writer's Block and ask for advice there as well.

You need to get into the character's head. Why is she the way she is? If everything you get from the show boils down to, "because she's in love with Dude," then invent something. Again, get into his head. What would it take for him to change his motivations? Conversely, what could happen to make his current motivations align with those of the protagonists? That's been done, usually with the heroes facing something that their friends could have handled easily that they can't individually. Not seeing a problem here. Write it. Again, not seeing a problem. Public opinion should shift somewhat depending on the events and actions of the group, and will shift sometimes regardless of anything they (or the mayor^* Does he turn into a giant snake and try to devour a high school?) can do about it.

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw

First off, the show is Zevo-3, a name you're probably not familiar with (hardly anyone is). Secondly: technically, the character; Kewl Breeze, was the youngest in the original trio, but still the most intelligent. Though, i will admit, he did seem pretty cocky and not much of a "take charge" kind of person.

In the actual show, this female character was basically a damsel in distress who was nice to everyone and could only use one skill; healing. Also, in both of her two appearances, she kissed Kewl-Breeze on the cheek (hence my desire to make them a couple). At the moment, the most i've changed about her is her powers (i gave her telepathy, telekinesis and the ability to fire energy blast), but whenever i imagine her with Kewl-Breeze or her personality in general, i keep imagining her as co-dependent.

It's a she actually, and here's the deal; in the actual show, this villainess, Dark Materia, was created by the mad scientist main villain and was made pure evil to boot. By the Season Finale, she was destroyed, so i was hoping to write that she gets revived by another group of villains. The trick here though, is that when she does get revived, something about her changes, now she no longer has any desire to do any of the bad stuff she once would have. Not only does this idea sound saccharine in hindsight, but like i said, my mind keeps visualizing way for her to turn on the heroes.

edited 11th Mar '14 4:28:24 PM by srebak

So write her as co-dependent. Especially if you can get her to realize it and break out of that rut. Have you ever watched Babylon5? Two of the main characters, Londo and G'Kar, flip-flop back and forth between villainous and heroic behavior. Several times. There's no reason she can't help the heroes, turn on them, regret it, and go back to helping them. It all depends on the motivations and how well you can show her mindset.

edited 12th Mar '14 9:40:00 AM by BlueNinja0

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw

Dukat.

There is always, and only, bad Dukat, but sometimes his self-interest aligns with the heroes.

Nous restons ici.