Chapitre 275: **Chapter 275: Character Arc**
Kristen looked at Anson, with a hint of confusion in her eyes. "First time?"
That doesn't seem right, does it?
Due to the influence of the Virgin Mary in religion, in much of North American popular culture, you can find that female characters are often created in two extremes:
They are either streetwalkers or saints.
To some extent, these two opposite extremes are often condensed into a single character, becoming a kind of ultimate romantic longing and belief.
Mary Jane possesses these traits.
In the movie script, she first dates Flash Thompson, then Harry Osborn, becomes infatuated with Spider-Man, and finally falls in love with Peter Parker. In less than two hours, her emotional world goes through multiple upheavals, in stark contrast to Peter.
However, from another perspective, for most of the movie, Mary Jane is a character waiting for help and salvation, like Cinderella waiting for the prince to appear. Yet, when the climax of the movie arrives, her position shifts, and Mary Jane becomes the one who saves Peter Parker and helps him complete his transformation.
This complexity is precisely what gives depth and height to the film *Spider-Man*.
When people discuss a commercial film, what often makes it a classic is not the protagonist, but the villain or supporting characters. The protagonist has to carry the charm of the story; they cannot make the audience feel repelled or disliked, so the complexity and depth of their character are often restricted. These dramatic conflicts then need to be distributed to the villain and other supporting characters.
In Sam Raimi's original film, this burden is carried by Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin. Norman is a mentor and father figure to Peter, as well as the father of Peter's best friend Harry, yet he stands on the opposing side due to differing beliefs. This dramatic conflict gives the story its depth.
Anson agrees with this.
However, Anson slightly disagrees in that, in the *Spider-Man* script, characters like Norman Osborn, Uncle Ben, Harry Osborn, and Mary Jane all play important roles in the dramatic conflict. If the film were to delve a little deeper into these characters, it could achieve the grandeur and depth of a Greek tragedy.
Of course, the prerequisite for all this is that it doesn't affect the film's lightness and flow.
After all, this is still a commercial film.
The focus returns to Mary Jane.
Clearly, Kristen didn't fully grasp what Anson meant by "first time."
Anson smiled and gave a definitive answer, "Yes, the first time."
"Not her feelings for Harry Osborn, nor for Spider-Man. It's a kind of affection, a kind of admiration, a trust, a flutter of emotion."
"A pure affection."
"Only at this point does Mary Jane truly fall in love with someone for the first time."
"Affection not because of appearance, status, insecurity, or fear, but because of the natural attraction from deep within the soul."
Kristen's thoughts lingered, swirling quietly in the air.
Originally, Kristen wanted to ask when Mary Jane fell in love with Peter Parker, but Anson's answer was completely off-topic.
But now Kristen realized that since Mary Jane had known Peter Parker for such a long time, her affection for him couldn't have been love at first sight or a sudden shift in perception; it was a process that happened silently.
So, Anson framed it, presenting the emotional evolution.
Then, little by little, the changes unfold in each scene.
This means Kristen has to reexamine every scene where they interact, exploring the changes behind the words.
Generally, scenes, dialogue, and lines in commercial films aren't meant to be deeply explored. They are set up to advance the plot, which was why Kristen initially wasn't interested in *Spider-Man*. Actors in these movies often seem like Barbie dolls.
But now, they can find the psychological changes of the characters even within these same scenes, dialogues, and lines, which gives the plot meaning.
The characters, in turn, come to life.
For Peter Parker, this is a story of growth. In the end, after facing death and pain, he finally realizes that the power he possesses comes with great responsibility. Unless he can bear this responsibility, that power will destroy everyone he loves. So, he pushes Mary Jane away and walks the path alone.
For Mary Jane, the situation is no different. In the end, she finally realizes that she cannot rely on others to escape her fate because that would mean she would forever remain someone else's subordinate. She needs to find herself and a partner who respects her, someone with whom she can walk side by side and face the harsh realities of life with courage.
In the original script, even though it wasn't the writer's intention, Mary Jane was actually given a character arc.
By "unintentional," I mean that the writer's goal wasn't to witness Mary Jane's growth but to create dramatic conflict around Peter Parker to drive the plot forward. Everything led to the moment where Mary Jane confesses her feelings for Peter only to be rejected. The core motivation remained Peter Parker.
But now, Kristen could interpret her own understanding of this unintended character arc, bringing the role to life in a fuller, more three-dimensional way without needing to alter the script or affect the shooting process. More importantly, this created space for the actor to showcase their abilities through their portrayal of the character.
Unconsciously, Kristen looked up at Anson, her eyes glowing with admiration—
From the beginning, Kristen chose to audition for *Spider-Man* because of Anson.
Kristen had watched *Friends* and could see the charm that Anson brought to his character. Within the framework set by the writers and directors, he gave his own interpretation. Could this mean that *Spider-Man* would be slightly different from typical commercial films as well?
Now, all her speculations had become reality.
Yet, Kristen still felt a sense of delight. Even though her judgment was correct, she was moved by the creativity swirling in Anson's mind at that moment.
No wonder!
During her brief interactions with Sam, he constantly spoke highly of Anson, clearly not treating him as just another pretty face.
Kristen said, "So, is this how you figured out Peter Parker's psychological arc?"
The conversation shifted back to Anson.
Anson didn't deny it. He spread his hands, "I don't have many methods that I know of—after all, I still don't have that much experience."
A self-deprecating comment instantly lightened the mood.
Kristen turned to Jack, "Did you know your friend was always this impressive?"
Jack was slightly taken aback. "Huh?"
Just a moment ago, Jack had been watching Kristen, noticing her focused gaze on Anson, and had become somewhat lost in thought.
The next moment, he hadn't expected the conversation to shift toward him, leaving him flustered.
Thankfully, Anson stepped in to help. "No, he didn't. A man seen through the eyes of a woman and a man seen through the eyes of another man are two entirely different creatures. So, I know you admire me very much, but clearly, Jack doesn't see it that way. He's probably full of questions right now."
"Ha ha!" Kristen's laughter blossomed fully.
"...Anson?" A slightly hesitant voice cut in from the side, interrupting their conversation.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone