Your character has just passed the Midpoint of the story, and is now in the second half of the 2^nd Act. They are halfway done with their journey, but, while all seems to be going well, the worst is yet to come. Today, we are talking about the precursor to these troubles—the Second Pinch Point.

First, let’s talk about what happens between the Midpoint and the Second Pinch Point. Two main things happen to your MC during this time… they continue to act—as opposed to the reacting they had done before the Midpoint—and they also experience a false sense of victory.

This sense of victory will be both internal and external. Internally, it comes because of the MC’s attempts to reconcile the Lie with the Truth after seeing the Truth’s power at the Midpoint. But while they are no longer completely opposed to the Truth, they are no closer to letting go of their Lie.

Externally, the false sense of victory comes from the knowledge the MC gained at the Midpoint. They now think that they know much more—perhaps everything—about the antagonist’s plans, which gives them confidence. Coupled with their newfound ability to act instead of react, they think that they are closer than ever to winning the battle.

As stated last time, Will in “Beyond the Mask” has become the Highwayman, earning the admiration of many—including Charlotte—and the hatred of the Loyalists. Many other things happen during the period between the Midpoint and the 3^rd Act but, as we’ll later see, the Second Pinch Point cannot be pinpointed to just one of these events.

In “In Time of Need,” there isn’t much between the Midpoint and the Second Pinch Point, so Tad’s false sense of victory—or rather, his false sense of control over his situation—is diminished pretty quickly after he arrives at the tenement house.

Whatever progress the MC seems to be making, it’s going to be interrupted by the Second Pinch Point. The elements of the Second Pinch Point are quite similar to those of the First Pinch Point, but, under the circumstances, they will take on slightly different roles. However, just like the First Pinch Point, the Second Pinch Point is going to provide a “pinch” to remind the MC that the battle is far from over.

1. The antagonist

While the MC has been able to act against the antagonist instead of reacting to him, the Second Pinch Point will serve as a reminder that the antagonist isn’t going to be that easy to beat. He’s still got some cards up his sleeve—cards that the Second Pinch Point will only allude to.

The MC will be reminded that the antagonist has the upper hand, and is willing to do what it takes to keep it that way.

In “Beyond the Mask,” there are a few different moments that show Charles Kemp’s power over Will—some of which, Will doesn’t even realize yet. In one scene, we see Basil (Charles’ right-hand man) sneak into Will’s quarters and steal the documents upon which Will later stakes his life. In another scene, Charles argues with Charlotte, revealing more of his true nature even to her. It’s becoming more and more apparent that, while Charles is infuriated by Will’s deeds as the Highwayman, he’s still very much in control.

In “In Time of Need,” Tad returns to the tenement house only to find that Mr. Beasley has, indeed, locked his sister away. Before he can do anything else, Mr. Beasley himself arrives to confront Tad.

2. The stakes

The stakes are going to be emphasized again, causing the MC’s false sense of security to waver. After all, if they’re wrong, they lose what is most dear to them. The stakes will often be emphasized when the antagonist asserts his dominance, but it can also be shown through some kind of emotional scene.

In “Beyond the Mask,” the stakes are emphasized when Will and Charlotte reunite. While the general sentiment in the scene is victorious, there is an underlying dread. After all, Will is reminded just how much he will lose if he fails to take down Charles and redeem himself.

In “In Time of Need,” the stakes are emphasized when Tad realizes that not only does Mr. Beasley have Ava captive, but that there’s nothing he can do about it on his own (which leads us to the next point).

3. The Truth

The Truth is going to be clearly shown, just as in the First Pinch Point. But by now, the MC knows that the Truth is at least partially effective. They’ve seen it triumph during the Midpoint, and perhaps have made efforts to reconcile the Truth and the Lie during the rest of the 2^nd Act.

However, the Second Pinch Point is going to show them that it won’t work—it’s either the Truth or nothing. You can’t believe both the Truth and the Lie at the same time… if they want to believe the Truth, they must cast off the Lie once and for all. But the MC, of course, will refuse to believe this fact.

In “Beyond the Mask,” the Second Pinch Point shows Will that, while Charlotte is overjoyed to see him, she isn’t ready to fully trust him yet. However, instead of recognizing that he can never truly redeem himself to her or to God, he determines that he will redeem himself.

In “In Time of Need,” Tad does get helped by Bevan and the other children, but not by his own choice. In fact, earlier in the scene, he refused to let them help him. This scene goes to show that Tad, indeed, is powerless on his own—and will lend to the Third Plot Point, where even human aid cannot help him.

Here are few more Second Pinch Points to consider:

1. Judah confronts Massalah; Judah is told that his mother and sister are dead (“Ben-Hur”)

2. Charles Muntz discovers that Carl has the bird; he chases Carl, Russell, and Dug (“Up”)

3. George continues his life in Bedford Falls, but despises it (“It’s a Wonderful Life”)

4. Joy tries to wake Riley up; Bing-Bong is captured; Joy and Sadness rescue him (“Inside Out”)

Comment below the Second Pinch Point of your favorite book or movie!