Climax

Show Protagonist Recovering from Dark Knight of Soul

Allow Them to Apply All They Have Learned along the Way

Give the Protagonist a Plan to Overcome the Antagonist’s Newly Showcased Strengths

Create a Gripping and Compelling Final Conflict

Resolving Open Conflicts

Throughout the Story, You have Created Conflicts and Storylines

Now is the Time to Resolve those Conflicts and Story Threads

Wrap Up the Subplot and Main Plot

Restate the Theme and Conclude the Character Arcs

Avoid the “Deus ex Machina” Climax

Three Parts of the Climax

The Climax of a Story has Three Parts

A Beginning, Middle and End

Essentially, the Climax is a Mini Three Act Structure

The Climax: Beginning

The Protagonist Rises from the Ashes of Their Dark Moment

The Ashes, for a Moment, Became Their Ordinary World

But the Protagonist Renews Their Determination to Win

The Climax: Middle

The Middle Consists of Rising Action – It Shows How They Renew Their Determination

The Protagonist Acts on Their Renewed Determination

The Protagonist Uses Their Renewed Strength to Move Toward Victory

The Climax: End

The Protagonist Wins – or at Least Wins for Now

The Ending Shows Character Growth

The Ending Leads to Plot Resolution

Addition

John Irving – A Prayer for John Meaning – Death on the Nile – Some Like It Hot – Black Panther

Example: Lion King

Simba Realizes He is Stronger than Before

As a Result, He Renews His Fight with Scar

He Gins the Upper Hand and Achieves Victory

Example: Hunger Games

Katniss Teams Up with Peeta to Defeat the Rest of the Tributes

President Snow Tries to Subvert Her Victory

Nevertheless, Katniss and Peeta Persist and Win

Addition

Classic Example: Lord of the Rings