Sometimes, the most powerful way to depict how your protagonist was shaped by choices, is to illustrate how different choices could have shaped them differently.
That’s the job of the “Mirror Character.”
Just one character, living a different version of the same story.
This is a craft move I love because it works on multiple levels: theme, emotion, and character development. And it doesn’t require any long monologues or internal exposition.
What’s a Mirror Character?
A mirror character is someone whose path reflects your protagonist’s in some way.
They might share:
A similar backstory
A shared desire or wound
The same choice, made differently
But they’ve made a different decision. Taken a different road. And because of that, they become a kind of emotional shadow: someone your protagonist can’t ignore.
They represent the “road not taken” in the protagonist’s journey.
How the Mirror Affects the Protagonist
A mirror character can reflect the best version of your protagonist, or the worst.
A positive mirror might inspire your character to grow, change, or confront something they’ve been avoiding.
A negative mirror might warn them. Show them what they could become if they gave in to fear, power, bitterness, or regret.
Either way, the mirror forces your protagonist to reckon with themselves.
They might reject the mirror. They might chase it. They might want to break it.
But they can’t ignore it.
That tension can spark everything from quiet introspection to full-blown character transformation. Either way, you (and the reader) win.
Why This Works
This gives you:
✅ Built-in contrast
✅ A way to externalize internal conflict
✅ A deeper sense of stakes, emotional and moral
✅ Subtle theme work (without getting preachy)
What I love most about this technique is how simple it is. You don’t have to work hard to explain what could have been. You just place the characters side by side, and let the reader feel the difference.
A Quick Example
Let’s say your protagonist, Cass, is a runaway from a strict religious community. She’s living in the city now, trying to define herself on her own terms, but still carrying a deep sense of shame and guilt.
Then she meets Mara, an old friend from the old community. Mara has also left, but years later. She’s now a broken woman full of regrets and bitterness.
They could meet, have coffee, and chat some. Nothing more.
But Mara represents how Cass might have turned out had she stayed longer. Just meeting her for coffee could fuel Cass with pride, relief, and new determination to make the most of her new life.
That’s how powerful a mirror character can be.
A Prompt to Try
Ask yourself: Who could represent the road my protagonist didn’t take?
Then go deeper:
What would that character believe?
How do they behave differently? Make it a drastic change, not a mild one.
How does my protagonist feel in their presence? Jealous? Ashamed? Inspired?
Even one or two scenes with that mirror character can add years of emotional context to your main arc.
If this post gave you a new tool for deepening your story, hit the ❤️ and share it with a writer who loves a little character psychology.
Because sometimes the clearest way to show who your character is, is to show who they almost were.
See you next week,
Tal Kilim
What a fantastic exercise! I love it!