Hey, writers. For better or worse, many stories feature a flashback or two. Personally I tend to prefer seeing a flashback in a story (though I know that isn’t true for everyone). Even if you never plan on using a flashback in your stories, writers, I still think it’s good to ponder a bit on flashbacks.

Hit the jump, writers, and let’s discuss.

I think for a long time one flashback will stand above the rest for me.  The scene in question comes from the movie Man of Steel (2013).  I think right before the scene Lois asks Clark why he doesn’t come out of isolation and reveal his incredible powers to the world.  Prior to the response, there’s a flashback with Clark Kent and Ma and Pa Kent.

A tornado is approaching Smallville and the townsfolk are scrambling.  There’s a bunch of cars stuck in gridlock and the tornado keeps getting closer.  (Classic Countdown being applied here. Great portrayal of the countdown.)

Clark’s father does two things.  One, he gets Clark and Ma Kent under an overpass, AKA relative safety from the nearby tornado.  Two, he helps the townsfolk.  Just as things seem to be going well, Ma Kent realizes that their dog is missing.

Ever the helpful person, Pa Kent tells Clark to stay with his mother.  Pa Kent sees the tornado closing in on the dog’s location…and heads toward the trapped dog anyway.

Quick aside: when I first went to watch this movie it was in the theater. Even with that atmosphere and the great sound system I was still “sucked out of” the movie. I asked myself, “Why doesn’t he send his invulnerable Kryptonian son into the super dangerous situation?” It kind of took me out of the moment.  Moving on.

At this point, Pa Kent had already helped saved a little girl from a trapped car.  Then he goes back to save a dog.  (Dogs being family members by most people’s standards.)  Again, quintessential countdown happening here.  The tornado’s closing in, and the dog’s location is set.  Pa Kent breaks into a sprint to save the dog.

The music swells as the dog is saved, but his foot is stuck.  He struggles to break free…and in the last moment, he makes his way back to a standing position.  He limps because his foot is broken.  And we cut to Clark.  It’s highly likely given Clark’s superspeed that he could run in, grab his father, and both would be safe.

Then that moment happens that tugs at my heart.

Pa Kent holds his hand up, indicating that he doesn’t want Clark to do it.  Knowing full well that Clark could save his life but doing so would require that Clark give up his secret identity.

Pa Kent holds his hand up and shakes his head.  And we watch the man die.

Show & Tell

Powerful, powerful moment.

So, writers, I know people who hate flashbacks with a passion.  The idea that the story has to be stopped is an affront to their good time “in the present” scene of the movie.  They believe that every scene has to happen in proper chronological order and dipping into the past is a mistake.

Having said that, I can say that I don’t feel that way.  The above scene with Clark and his family are enough to convince me that flashbacks do have their point.

Can you imagine?

Lois:  Hey, Clark, why don't you reveal your powers to the world?
Clark:  Nope.
[awkward silence]

A one and a two and a…three?

Writers, I would be doing you all a disservice if I didn’t also argue the other side for a minute.  There are times when there shouldn’t be a flashback.

For instance.  In the Avengers, there’s a scene where the Avengers are fighting an alien invasion.  Then this happens:

Black Widow:  Just like Budapest all over again.
Hawkeye:  You and I remember Budapest very differently...

It’s cute, it’s funny, and it’s in the middle of a battle scene.  There’s a lot of information conveyed here:  We learn that they’ve been in ‘similar’ battles before and that they’ve been to Budapest.

So now the question becomes, “Should Budapest have been a flashback?”  For me the answer is ‘no.’  As much as I would have enjoyed seeing more cool action scenes, I think it would have taken away from the battle.

Then something funny happened with a friend after the movie.  He said to me, “Man…I’d really like a solo Black Widow movie.”  No one prompted him, he just threw it out there.  It’s an interesting point.  By NOT having a flashback it opens the chance to explore other things about a character in a future movie or book.

There’s been talks about a future Black Widow movie.  I honestly can’t wait.  And, given the things that have been covered, I’d assume there’ll be a Budapest scene or two in there.  Assuming, of course, that Hawkeye is there as well.

Unlike the Man of Steel scene I believe a flashback here would have taken away from the movie it was in.  On top of that, a flashback would have removed the possibility of a future movie.  So pass and pass.

Now, in the case of Man of Steel, that was a movie already about Superman’s origin.  It was the perfect space for it.

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right…

Before I go, writers, I wanted to add another concept that makes me love a well-placed flashback even more.

In Story (by Robert McKee © 1997), the concept of rising and falling is introduced.  There’s a kind of rhythm that a movie follows to keep it interesting.  For instance, movies often transition from sad to happy to sad to happy.  The highs and lows makes the audience feel something instead of becoming numb to a collection of scenes that go from sad to sad to sad to sad and again to sad.

Writers, I have been thoroughly enjoying Netflix’s “The Punisher” series.  I’ve been slow-rolling it because I don’t want to blow through it, so no spoilers please.  Anyway, it’s a pretty gritty show.  There’s a lot of death and violence.  I know, big surprise with the title “Punisher” right?

Anyway.

The writer question becomes, “How do we do a series that dark without making it nothing but a cry-fest?”  Keep in mind that the background of the main character is that his family gets murdered.  In the comics, it’s the same way.  This is how he/others can “justify” his extreme and violent ways.

On the issue of happiness.  In the Netflix series, writers, we are treated to multiple scenes with Frank Castle asleep.  We see him sleeping and then he opens his eyes and there’s a women talking to him.  We know it’s his wife, and therefore we know she’s dead and that it’s a dream sequence.

It’s so bittersweet.  We see this angry, frustrated man…happy.  He’s in bed and he hears his wife calling him.  To put it mildly, Frank Castle smiling is not a common occurrence.  She’s trying to wake him up and we hear her voice and everything is nice.

Then boom, juxtaposition.  We cut to a violent scene.  Or, juxtaposition.  We cut to Frank dirty and bleeding.  The transitions are beautiful.  It’s a great show.

Gotta Get Back, Back to the Past

Writers, if you have been holding off on adding a flashback to your story, I hope I’ve given you all some incentive to place one into your writing.  Don’t force it though, sometimes the past is better served as Budapest.

So tell me, writers, do you have a favorite flashback?  Sound off in the comments! 🙂

Aloha,
Alvin

P.S.  Here is your quote of the day:  “The funny thing about writing is that whether you’re doing well or doing it poorly, it looks the exact same. That’s actually one of the main ways that writing is different from ballet dancing.” ― John Green

P.P.S. My favorite full-story flashback is the Kakashi Gaiden. Solid stuff.