Personality Notes:
* = develops over time
Strengths:
Hopeful*, Faithful*, Persevering, Hardworking
Weaknesses:
Doubtful, Envious, Wrathful, Lustful, Pride, Arrogance, Infatuation
Fear: I will be overwhelmed, exposed, or incapable.
- Falling back into the slavery of sin, returning to his father, the devil
Desire: To be competent, capable, and self‑sufficient.
- To be righteous and innocent, to become a child of the Living God
Misbelief: Your needs are too much. Stay hidden.
He can never change for the good, and he will always fall into sin. "Redemption is Earned Through Perfection"
Hobby's/Interests:
enter
Skills:
enter
His Two Conflicting Desires
Dermy is torn between two incompatible goals.
Desire for Glory
He wants to restore his reputation and greatness.
This part of him says:
“If I become powerful and righteous, everyone will respect me again.”
Desire for Redemption
He genuinely feels shame and guilt.
This part of him says:
“I want to be free from the evil inside me.”
At first, these two desires seem compatible. But the story gradually reveals they are mutually exclusive.
Aha Realization 1: “I need You. I cannot do this alone.”
This is a huge crack in his worldview, but he has not yet abandoned pride.
Instead, he might shift into a slightly different mindset. He discovers Faith. But he still approaches it as a tool for His use.
Aha Realization 2
Dermod eventually reaches a moment where:
His pride fails, his image collapses, his sin is exposed, and his strength is not enough
He realizes: “I cannot save myself.” This is the death of the false self.
Internal Conflict
Dermod begins as a flawed person. He is given everything at a young age and has a great childhood with loving parents and a great brother. However, he soon grows to envy his brother for having more than him. This establishes envy as one of Dermod's major flaws. He has two major conflicting fears and desires:
- Being hated, being looked down upon -> Being loved again by his people
- Falling back into the slavery of sin -> To be righteous and innocent
Dermys Internal Conflicts:
Self-Doubt vs Confidence:
Ever since Dermy made the decision to kill his brother, has had doubt that he can ever change. He fears that he will fall back into sin and that he has no ability to change to a good person.
Desire for Redemption vs. Worthlessness:
He might crave redemption and a chance to make amends, but his sense of worthlessness and belief that he doesn't deserve forgiveness could hold him back. This conflict is fueled by his self-loathing and remorse.
Past Deeds vs. Present Actions:
Dermod struggles to reconcile his past actions with who he wants to become. Even if he genuinely wants to change and seek forgiveness, the weight of his past constantly drags him down, making it difficult to move forward.
These can all be basically summed up with:
Dermy's Confidence in his ability to become a child of the Living God vs His past making him doubt whether he can change.
He wants redemption, but only if he can remain glorious.
But true redemption requires something he cannot accept:
humility.
Humility means admitting: He cannot conquer his sin, His strength is insufficient, and His greatness is an illusion
For someone whose identity is built on achievement, this is devastating.
Character Arc
1. Beginning: The False Hero (Pride)
Dermy’s Identity
Dermy believes his worth comes from greatness and recognition.
Even though he knows he is sinful, he believes:
“If I can overcome my sin, I will prove my greatness.”
So his pursuit of redemption is actually a pursuit of glory.
Internal State
Dermy feels:
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Shame
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Guilt
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Fear of being seen as weak
But instead of humility, he responds with ambition.
He decides he will defeat his depravity through strength.
Story Events That Reflect This
Early events should show:
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Dermy attempting to discipline himself.
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Dermy making bold declarations about conquering sin.
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Dermy comparing himself to others.
He may even believe:
“Others fall because they are weak. I will not.”
The Audience’s Understanding
The audience sees that Dermy:
-
is sincere
-
but deeply prideful
He is trying to fix himself, not surrender.
2. Early Trials: The Illusion of Control
Dermy actively attempts to defeat temptation.
This is important because Type 3 characters must try hard before they break.
Story Events
Examples could include:
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fasting
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isolating himself
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training discipline
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refusing temptation publicly
Sometimes he succeeds temporarily.
These small victories feed his pride.
He begins to believe he is winning.
3. The Foil Character: The Friend
Dermy’s friend is extremely important.
This friend should represent the ideal Dermy believes in.
The friend might be:
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morally disciplined
-
brave
-
respected
-
genuinely sincere
Dermy believes:
“If anyone can defeat temptation, it is him.”
This friend reinforces Dermy’s worldview that strength can conquer evil.
4. Rising Pressure: Temptation Intensifies
As the story progresses:
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temptations become stronger
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failures become more humiliating
-
Dermy becomes more desperate
His pride is now mixed with fear.
He begins to realize something is wrong.
But instead of surrendering, he pushes harder.
5. Midpoint Event: The Friend’s Death
This is the first shattering moment.
Dermy’s friend attempts to defeat temptation through sheer strength.
But he fails.
And dies.
This destroys Dermy’s belief system.
Aha #1 – Faith
Dermy realizes:
“If strength could defeat evil, he would still be alive.”
This leads to a deeper realization:
“No one can conquer evil alone.”
For the first time, Dermy recognizes the necessity of faith.
He begins to believe he must rely on God.
But his motivation still contains pride.
He now thinks:
“With God’s help, I will defeat my sin.”
God becomes a source of power, not yet a relationship.
6. The Second Half: Prideful Faith
Dermy now believes he has discovered the key.
Faith.
But he still treats faith like a strategy for victory.
Story Events
Dermy begins:
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praying for strength
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asking God for victory
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trusting divine help
But internally he still wants the same outcome:
glory.
He wants to become the man who conquered evil.
So he still frames his journey as a heroic battle.
7. Increasing Failure
Even with faith, Dermy keeps failing.
This confuses him deeply.
He believes:
“If I trust God, why do I still fall?”
The real reason is that his motivation is still self-centered.
He wants God’s power, not God Himself.
This leads to increasing frustration and spiritual crisis.
8. The Dark Night of the Soul
Near the end of the story, Dermy reaches total despair.
Everything he believed has failed:
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his strength failed
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his discipline failed
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even his faith seems to fail
He feels completely exposed.
This moment forces him to confront the truth about himself.
9. The Climax: Encounter with the Living God
Dermy is finally confronted with divine reality.
In that moment he cannot hide behind:
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ambition
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discipline
-
spiritual performance
Everything about him is revealed.
His pride collapses.
Aha #2 – Love
Dermy realizes something devastating:
“I never truly wanted God.”
He wanted:
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glory
-
victory
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admiration
Even his faith was corrupted.
The deeper truth becomes clear:
“I sought God’s power, not His love.”
Now Dermy understands something new.
God does not demand victory.
God offers love.
And love requires surrender.
Dermy finally admits:
“I do not deserve glory. I only need mercy.”
This is the death of the Type 3 ego.
10. Resolution: The True Hero
Dermy no longer seeks greatness.
He no longer seeks admiration.
He simply desires to be with God.
His motivation becomes love instead of glory.
Ironically, this is when true transformation finally becomes possible.
He becomes a hero not because he conquered evil through strength, but because he surrendered pride.