Goal
Manifest the unknown or unknowable. To prove that there are “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,/Than are dreamt of in your philosophy” (HAMLET, Act 1, Scene 5, Lines 165–66).
The CDP is essentially the plot used in all six CLIFFSIDE CHRONICLES and THE DYNAMO, with different variations.
Structure
The out-of-the-box Complex Discovery Plot in horror fiction has four acts:
- Onset
- Discovery
- Confirmation
- Confrontation.
Act 1 – Onset
Onset/Orphan (Manifestation and Evidence): The monster’s presence is established. May be preceded by narrative scenes to set location and characters. The readers need to know who the lead characters are before their world falls apart and we must care for them as humans. This is the prime goal of Act 1.
The monster’s arrival is set up like a crime in detective fiction in either of two ways. (1) As in thrillers, in which the readers know who the culprit is from the start (identity), even if the characters don’t; or 2) as in a mystery,. in which both characters and readers don’t know who or what is behind the events (effect). Death comes via some/thing or via the strange actions of the possessed. In either case, there are two questions to raise in the readers’ minds: a) Has there been a murder, and b) whodunit?
“Phasing” can be used, which is when the reader discovers what’s happening before the characters do because they have more information. There may be many onsets as creatures or strange events manifest. Can be sustained over a longer Act 1.
Something is happening, but the protagonist doesn’t know what. They don’t trust their own judgment. Their crazy ideas cut them off from friends and family.
- Door 1, End of Act 1: The protagonist/lead characters know there are supernatural events happening, but they are powerless to stop them or get away. Their curiosity has only pulled them in further, and now they are stuck. Step 1 in setting up the mystery is complete; they know there is a “monster in the house.”
Act 2 – Discovery
Discovery/Wander: The main character(s) learn of the events or creature and are convinced that it’s paranormal in nature.
Knowledge and evidence of the paranormal are often resisted by the powers that be. Our heroes are treated skeptically by third parties, especially authority figures, i.e., police, scientists, religious leaders, government, or the military. One of their own may even express doubts. The threat is not acknowledged by “the establishment.” The discovery of the threat by one group must be proved to another group whose assistance is needed to resist/confront the threat. Again, this “proving” might repeat with various groups the lead characters approach/warn.
The characters are lost in a new world in which an other-worldly phenomenon is manifesting.
- End of Act 2: Midpoint turnaround, the reversal of lead characters’ fortunes; they can’t meet their goals and might not want to.
Act 3 – Confirmation
Confirmation/Warrior: While true believers are trying to convince others, the paranormal entity gains strength and a foothold. Characters talk a lot about how unstoppable it is, how powerful it is, and how they can’t deal with it. This primes the readers for its next appearance. The characters must prove that their claims fit the facts better than others, and hypotheses and best explanations are offered. Finding out is one of the pleasures of the genre, the drama of proof, to prove that there are “more things in heaven and earth …” Tension is created between discovery and confirmation, often placing the reader in the position of having more knowledge than the so-called “experts” as they work through the problem. Can repeat with other experts.
Characters fight the manifesting phenomenon and battle to convince authorities to join the battle.
- Door Two, End of Act 3: The lead characters are locked into the final conflict. Everyone knows what the score is and that they must fight.
ACT 4 – Confrontation
Confrontation/Martyrdom: The human lead characters fight the monster and the first outcome is usually a debacle. This builds tension. The humans may learn things in defeat that help them win in the end. They must face a great loss to win. Was the thing lost the thing that was holding them back?
- End of Act 4.
Variations
Elements can be subtracted from the complex plot, e.g., third parties are not convinced or needed, or don’t exist, to confront and defeat the threat. Sometimes the leads already know the threat exists, by-passing the Discovery Plot. This is done in the film IT: CHAPTER 2.
Elements can also be combined. The Onset and Confrontation plots are combined in both film versions of WAR OF THE WORLDS. In both movie versions of THE THING, the Onset and Discovery plots are merged when the research team discovers the spaceship.