Hellhole – Story Analysis

Concept

Demons and other mythological monsters are actually aliens, Hell is their homeworld, and their magical powers are actually alien technology.

Logline/Tagline/Hook

When a strange hole opens up in the Arctic and ravenous demons emerge, a scientist, his wife, and a member of an ancient secret order must team up to close the hole and save humanity.

Genres

  • Science Fiction – Alien Invasion
  • Action
  • Horror

Emotional Atmosphere

Mystery followed by terror

Setting

Current day North Slope of Alaska

Characters

Protagonists

Central Character: Dr. Jack Oswald (geology professor)

  • Character Flaw: Jack has built an emotional wall to protect himself from being hurt again after his son’s death, leading to his estrangement from his wife.
  • Growth: Jack has opened up and allowed himself to love again.

Secondary Protagonists:

  • Angela Menendez (ex-wife / love interest)
  • Mark Starr (graduate student / comic relief)
  • Aileen O’Shannon (demon hunter / kick-as female character)
  • Kathryn Neuhausen (ex-army personal security / kick-ass female character)

Antagonists

Opposition Character: HellPoole (Pastor Poole and alien leader)

Secondary Antagonists:

  • Hellhounds (alien monsters / demons)
  • Mordecai Blackwell (oil company CEO / collaborator)
  • Kevin Kowalski (oil company middle manager)

Stories

Outside/Action Story:

  • Plot: Jack investigates a mysterious hole that is a portal enabling alien demons to invade Earth.
  • Goal: To understand the mysterious hole and survive the subsequent invasion
  • Need: To kill the demons and protect Earth by closing the portal to Hell
  • Worst Outcome: Alien invasion succeeds
  • Obligatory Questions: What created the hole? Who will survive?
  • Message/Moral: An ordinary man faced with extraordinary dangers can rise meet them.

Inside/Emotional Story:

  • Plot: Jack learns to forgive himself for the accidental death of his son, let down his protective walls, and allow himself to fall in love again with his ex-wife.
  • Goal: To protect others (especially Angela, his ex-wife) from danger
  • Need: To forgive himself and open up to love
  • Worst Outcome: To lose Angela a second time
  • Obligatory Question: Will Jack and Angela get back together?
  • Message/Moral: A man who has walled himself off can learn to open himself to love again.

Story Structure

Prologue (2 pages: 1-2)

  1. Backstory: Jack Oswald and Angela Menendez’s son, Ben, dies in a tragic accident, which leads to their subsequent estrangement and separation.

Act I (21 pages: 3-24)

  1. Catalyst: Jack agrees to travel to the North Slope to investigate the strange hole.

Act II (84 pages: 24-108)

  1. Big Event: Jack and Mark enter the hell hole for the first time.
  2. Midpoint (Pinch): Reverend Poole reveals himself to be HellPoole, the devil master of the hellhounds.
  3. Critical Decision: Jack decides he must leave Angela to close the hell hole.

Act III (8 pages: 109-116)

  1. Crisis: Jack leaves on a suicide mission to save the world (and Angela) by closing the hell hole.
  2. Climax (Showdown): Jack, Aileen, and Angela fight against HellPoole to close the hell hole.
  3. Realization: Jack and Angela’s fly to Fairbanks and safety.
  4. Sequel Hook: Dozens of new hell holes open up.

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