Today, we’re going to be looking at what makes a good mentor character. I’ll be using several different examples from the Bible, so be sure to take a look at the passages for yourself.

Mentor characters are found in most stories, and they play an important role in the MC’s character arc. They often teach important skills to the MC in the form of physical combat, knowledge, or relationship advice. However, the mentor character can (and should) go much deeper than that. They should at least partially represent the Truth that either the MC already believes in, or will come to believe in by the end of the story.

So let’s take a look at a few tips to help you write a great mentor character:

1. The Truth

The biggest thing that a mentor character does is represent the Truth to the MC—especially when the MC is in a Positive Change Arc. The mentor will guide the MC on their journey with the Truth, and will give them advice throughout the story.

Often, the mentor character will be some kind of Flat Arc. However, as we’ll see later on in this post, that doesn’t always have to be the case.

In the Bible, a great example of a mentor who represents the Truth is Samuel. He guides both Saul and David through their journeys. As we see, his advice doesn’t always prevail… Saul eventually disregards Samuel’s words of wisdom. But Samuel never budges from his stance on the Truth.

Another good example of this is in “The Baker Family Adventure” series. While there are a variety of Truths expressed throughout the 8-book series, as well as several Flat Arcs who hold to these Truths, one man stands out to me. Jigson (aka Haelix) is a secret agent who often comes to the Bakers’ rescue.

However, he is more than just a hero—he’s also their friend. Millie, Briosa, Phil, Rolf, Abby, Andy, Tom, Garth, Fergus, Alistair, Cassidy, Miguel de Cervantes (it’s a code name), Detective Mortimer, Dr. Roth, Sigurd, and, yes, even Trina Verton and Daiin… these are all characters whom Jigson mentors and helps at different points in their journeys. And the best thing about it is that he doesn’t just give advice about the Truth—he lives that Truth out in his life, even in the face of death.

2. Flawed

While the mentor character should state and represent the Truth, that’s only to an extent. Even the greatest characters have flaws, and mentor characters are no exception. But these flaws help make your characters realistic, relatable, and unexpected.

In the Bible, one flawed mentor character is Eli. He brings Samuel up and helps him understand the importance of his calling. However, Eli also failed to discipline and rear his own sons… which cause major consequences later on.

In the movie “Overcomer,” Thomas mentors John Harrison, the discouraged basketball coach turned cross-country coach. He also later mentors Hannah, his estranged daughter. And while, in the present, he seems to be a very wise man, the movie reveals that it wasn’t always this way. In fact, Thomas is basically the reason for Hannah’s struggles to find her identity, as well as her grandmother’s bout with bitterness. While he has changed his ways, there’s no denying that his past sins are still having consequences in the present.

3. Exclusive and insightful outlook

Especially in a story with a large cast of characters, you need to let your audience—and the MC—know exactly why the mentor character is worthy of this role. How is he any different from the next guy?

Your mentor character should have some kind of knowledge—both about the Truth, as well as the MC’s situation—that other characters don’t have. He should be able to look at the MC and, to some extent, be able to say “I’ve been there, and I know what you need to do.” You need to give your MC a reason to listen to the mentor.

Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, is a good example of this. She’s older and wiser than her cousin, Mary, but they both have something in common. Both are pregnant through the miraculous hand of God. From what we read in the Bible, it appears that Elizabeth was somewhat of a mentor to Mary. After all, she was the one whom Mary went to after she’d been visited by the angel.

In the movie “Do You Believe?” Percy, a young gang member searching for the truth, winds up in a church after running from the police. He is greeted by Joe, a muscular man with a mysterious tattoo, who tells him, “I’ve been where you’re going.” Joe is just the man to show Percy that there is a better way to live—and that there is forgiveness through Christ.

Joe also mentors Samantha, a homeless, single mom to a little girl. He helps Samantha and her daughter out, sacrificing his own health to do so. He also encourages Samantha to seek God.

4. Unexpected

When you think of a mentor, you usually think of an old man with a long, gray beard and the ability to speak in proverbs. But mentors don’t always have to be like that. Your mentor can be anyone… even the antagonist can mentor the MC in some ways. So choose the mentor character that best suits your story’s needs.

Daniel in the Bible is a surprising mentor. While we often think of him as the old man who spent a night in the lions’ den, there was a time when he wasn’t such an old man. In fact, when he first came to Babylon, he was just a boy. Yet God used him to mentor the most powerful king in the world at that time—Nebuchadnezzar.

In the movie “Treasure Planet,” the antagonist, Long John Silver, mentors Jim. At first, Silver simply uses the Truth to befriend the boy. However, as their relationship grows, Silver begins to genuinely care about Jim and to actually believe the Truth that he talks about. In the end, Silver gives up his Want to rescue Jim.

In a story I wrote several years ago, one of the mentor characters was a crazy uncle named Tucker Rowley. Uncle Tuck typically said things that made almost no sense, and his nephew, Brandon, usually ignores him. Tuck is also a minor antagonist, which makes him even less trustworthy. However, he plays the role of mentor for Brandon even as he holds him captive. When Brandon is at his lowest, Uncle Tuck is the one who unintentionally states the Truth to him.

In another of my short stories, “The Greatest Gift” (which you can read for free by clicking here), the MC’s young granddaughter, Bobbi, plays the role of both a child character and a mentor character. Though Earl is the one teaching her about the Truth, she relays that Truth back to him in the moments when he needs it the most—and in a profound, blunt manner that most adults wouldn’t use.

Here are a few more examples of mentor characters from the Bible:

1. Elijah

2. Mordecai

3. Priscilla and Aquila

4. Barnabas

5. Paul

And here are some examples from fictional books and movies:

1. Sir Faithful (“The Terrestria Chronicles”)

2. Mr. Holt (“Fireproof”)

3. Clarence (“It’s a Wonderful Life”)

4. Chef Gusteau (“Ratatouille”)

Comment below your favorite mentor character!