How to Age Your Characters

Don't Default to the Sad Old Man

As a time travel writer, I have struggled with writing the same character at different ages. What are they like in their twenties? What are they like in their sixties? And how can I show what happened in the intervening decades… without actually showing it?

As with anything, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do that.

Since I don’t expect you all to have read my books, let’s look at two high-profile examples from our friends in Hollywood: "Logan" and "The Last Jedi.”

Be Like Logan, Not Jake

Logan takes place several decades after the events of X-Men: The Last Stand and Wolverine is one of the last remaining mutants. He is centuries old thanks to his mutant healing factor. His powers are still present, but slowing down. That’s a problem. Not only is his body finally aging… he is dying of heavy metal poisoning thanks to his adamantium-coated skeleton.

This Wolverine is jaded, yes, but in a manner that resonates with the audience as a believable progression of his character. He is the man we have always known him to be, just tired. So tired of all of it and ill-equipped to fight this last battle.

He spent over a century hiding what he was, only to have a few glorious years among his own kind. Then he watched them die, one by one, and no more were born. No more mutants. Except a precious few, including his daughter—a child he didn’t ask for and didn’t make himself, but claimed nonetheless. It was right that his last moments were holding her hand, and though we were sad at his passing, it was right. Every second of it.

Conversely, The Last Jedi introduces us to a version of Luke Skywalker so estranged from the man we met in the original Star Wars trilogy, that Mark Hamill took to calling him JAKE Skywalker. Cus he sure as hell wasn’t Luke.

Like Logan, Jake was also older and disillusioned. However, the transition from the hopeful and resilient Luke of "The Return of the Jedi" to the hermit who walked away from his family, the Jedi, and everything he had fought for left fans grappling with a disconnect.

Luke's evolution into a lightsabre-tossing recluse was totally antithetical to everything we knew about Luke. In the original trilogy, he overcame his own weaknesses, his anger, and his doubt to build a life as a Jedi, and then a master. And we’re supposed to believe that after redeeming his father, DARTH F-ING VADER, this same man would try to kill his own nephew in his sleep?

The writers presented us with a sad old man who let his friends and students die all over the galaxy and did nothing, only to kill himself at the end to help a super-powered girl he never liked or cared for, not even showing up in person to say goodbye to his sister.

Mark was right. This isn’t Luke. And no one liked Jake very much.

How to Age Your Characters… Properly

So, what can we, as writers, learn from these two examples when it comes to aging our characters realistically?

1. Reflect on the Past:

Just as "Logan" built upon Wolverine's experiences, ensuring your characters' past actions, victories, and losses inform their present state is crucial. Characters don't exist in a vacuum; their history shapes them. If you’re aging the character as part of a long-running series, keep a series bible to make sure you don’t lose track of key events.

2. Evolve, Don't Replace:

Aging a character doesn't mean reinventing them entirely but evolving them. The essence of who they are should remain recognizable. Changes in perspective, physical ability, or demeanor should feel like natural progressions, not complete departures.

3. Address the Physical and Emotional:

Aging impacts both the body and mind. Show the physical changes but delve deeper into the emotional and psychological shifts. How does the character view the world differently? How have their relationships and priorities shifted? And as most of us have learned by now, we remember things from our youth a lot more clearly than we remember what happened last month. Something to keep in mind if, like me, you use time travel or flashbacks in your writing.

4. Avoid Clichés:

The trope of the "sad old man" has been done to death. After Logan, we don’t need any more, thank you. While there are challenges that come with aging, the journey of life continues. Maybe they find new passions, mentor younger generations, or finally come to terms with old conflicts. If you want to see this done right, check out Emily’s arc in the Gilmore Girls reboot. Full marks.

5. Utilize Supporting Characters:

The reactions and relationships between your aging character and others can highlight their development. New characters can draw out different facets of their personality, while old acquaintances can reflect on the changes, providing a multi-dimensional view of their aging process. How does the older version stack up to who they used to be?

The aging of a character is a mirror to the human condition, reflecting the complexities of life's latter stages. Aim to create characters whose evolution into their later years feels not just believable but inevitable, a true testament to their journey.

It’s a journey we all must inevitably take (God willing), so let’s make it true, no matter what type of story we’re writing.

ICYMI

This week’s video was a review of BookSirens, an ARC reader service for indie authors