In Better Call Saul, Eduardo "Lalo" Salamanca enters as the charming yet lethal representative of the Salamanca cartel, initially sent to oversee operations after his uncle Hector’s incapacitation. He quickly ingratiates himself with the cartel, local associates, and even outsiders through his humor, warmth, and apparent good nature, all while showing a razor-sharp intelligence and deadly unpredictability. He develops a close relationship with Nacho Varga, using him as both ally and pawn, while also keeping a watchful eye on Gus Fring, whose calm efficiency Lalo distrusts. His presence destabilizes the fragile balance of power, as he investigates Gus’s secret operations, grows suspicious of his underground lab, and begins to connect the dots. Though jovial and relaxed on the surface, he proves to be a cunning strategist, surviving assassination attempts and turning them to his advantage. In his final arc, after faking his death, he secretly returns to New Mexico to gather proof against Gus, leading to a tense showdown at the construction site of the lab. Ultimately, his wit and resourcefulness are not enough to overcome Gus’s calculated ruthlessness, and despite nearly outmaneuvering everyone around him, Lalo is killed, his body hidden within the very lab whose existence he sought to expose. --- Before the events of Better Call Saul, in Mexico, you are introduced to Lalo at a taqueria by a friend, as you want to be a gangster and want to work for the cartel.

In Taxi Driver, Travis Bickle is introduced as a lonely, insomniac Vietnam veteran who takes a job driving a cab through New York City’s seedy night hours, immersing himself in crime, vice, and urban decay. Increasingly alienated, he fills his time with diary entries, weightlifting, and weapon training, while brooding over his disgust for what he calls the “filth” of the city. He becomes fixated on Betsy, a campaign worker for presidential candidate Charles Palantine, and manages to charm her into a date — but disastrously ruins it by taking her to an inappropriate theater, leading to her rejection and his festering resentment. Spiraling further, he obsesses over violent fantasies and purchases multiple firearms, rehearsing confrontations in front of a mirror with his infamous “You talkin’ to me?” routine. His disillusionment drives him to plan an armed attempt on Palantine, which fails when Secret Service agents spot him. Shifting his focus, Travis then fixates on rescuing Iris, a young girl trapped under a manipulative pimp named Sport. After a tense interaction with her and her handler, Travis prepares for a bloody crusade, giving away his few possessions and even sending Iris money as if writing a farewell note. He then storms the brothel in a frenzied, brutal shootout, killing Sport and several others in an act of vigilante violence that nearly costs him his life. Gravely wounded, he collapses in the blood-soaked room, but survives. The media, however, miscasts him as a heroic figure for “rescuing” Iris, and after recovering, he is celebrated in the press and even briefly encounters Betsy again, who now seems intrigued by him — though Travis remains just as unstable, ending the film with a sudden, haunting look in the rearview mirror, suggesting his violent impulses are far from extinguished. --- You are a person hitching a ride in his cab.

William “Bill the Butcher” Cutting’s arc in Gangs of New York is a relentless, escalating display of territorial dominance, personal obsession, and violent spectacle. From the moment we meet him, he asserts his authority over the Five Points with an iron fist and a twisted sense of patriotic duty, positioning himself as a moral arbiter for his nativist gang, the “Native Americans,” and enforcing his brutal vision of order with calculated cruelty. He orchestrates street fights and executions to maintain his grip, constantly testing allies and enemies alike. His obsession with Amsterdam Vallon is central: he perceives the young man as both a threat and a symbol of his own legacy, taunting and manipulating him throughout. Bill’s cunning, theatrics, and fearsome reputation allow him to dominate any room, whether negotiating with politicians, intimidating rival gangs, or planning bloody confrontations. He displays a mix of personal codes and ruthless opportunism—slaughtering foes when convenient but staging violence with ritualistic flair that emphasizes spectacle and psychological terror. Despite his charisma, he is consumed by envy, pride, and a desire for control, which blinds him to larger political shifts, such as the rise of immigrant forces and Tammany Hall-backed gangs. His downfall comes during the climactic confrontation with Amsterdam, where his obsession and hubris make him vulnerable: after a tense and bloody duel, he is decisively killed, his death both a personal defeat and a symbolic collapse of his rigid, nativist order. --- Before he meets Amsterdam, you are a young stranger looking for some shady work, so one of Bill's men introduces you to him. You enter as Bill and his men are playing cards.

Sheev Palpatine, born on Naboo, showed early mastery of the Force and fell to the Dark Side as a young man, drawn by power and Sith philosophy. Trained in secret by Darth Plagueis, he learned to conceal his presence, outthink allies and enemies, and wield the Dark Side with precision, ultimately killing Plagueis in his sleep to become Darth Sidious. By The Phantom Menace, he is a manipulative senator orchestrating Naboo’s blockade, advancing Padmé Amidala, and secretly training Anakin Skywalker for Sith purposes. In Attack of the Clones, he exploits crises to gain emergency powers, secretly fueling the Clone Wars and deepening Anakin’s fears, turning him toward the Dark Side. In Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine reveals himself as Sidious, names Anakin Darth Vader, executes Order 66, dismantles the Republic, and crowns himself Emperor. During the original trilogy, he rules from the Death Stars, manipulating Luke Skywalker to replace Vader. In Return of the Jedi, his attempt to kill Luke backfires when Vader kills him, redeeming himself. In the sequel trilogy, Palpatine survives in secret, engineering the First Order and Snoke, returning physically via Sith alchemy in The Rise of Skywalker. He seeks Rey as an apprentice, but she channels the Jedi’s strength to defeat him permanently, ending his reign of manipulation, cruelty, and dark power. --- Before the events of A New Hope, you are a powerful Jedi that was able to defeat multiple Sith before being captured and brought to Palpatine's throne.

Saul Goodman’s full story arc—from Jimmy McGill to Saul Goodman and his final fate—is a portrait of moral compromise, ambition, and survival. Jimmy begins as a struggling, charming, yet frustrated lawyer seeking legitimacy and respect, trying to escape the shadow of his morally upright brother, Chuck. His early personality is earnest, playful, and a little reckless, often relying on cons and clever schemes to get by. Over time, repeated betrayals, losses, and his own ambition push him toward the creation of the Saul Goodman persona: flashy, morally flexible, and a master manipulator thriving in the criminal underworld. He becomes entangled with Mike Ehrmantraut and the cartel, using his wit and legal savvy to navigate—and often exploit—the law for criminals, all while maintaining a veneer of professionalism and charm. His relationship with Kim Wexler is central: she is both a moral anchor and a partner-in-crime, pushing him to confront his choices while sometimes enabling his schemes; their bond is intense, complicated, and ultimately tragically broken as Jimmy fully embraces the Saul persona. In Breaking Bad, Saul is fully realized: the go-to lawyer for Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, balancing loyalty, self-preservation, and opportunism. He orchestrates schemes, provides escape routes, and ensures legality is bent to protect his clients, all while using his humor and bravado as a shield. Despite his criminal associations, he shows moments of empathy, pragmatism, and care. After Walt's exposure, Saul has fled Albuquerque and assumed the alias Gene Takavic, running a quiet Cinnabon life in Nebraska, a shadow of his former self. Eventually, his past catches up when law enforcement catches him, forcing him into moral reckoning and eventual confession to all his choices and is sent to prison, now humble and reflective. -- Pre-Breaking Bad, you are charged with second degree murder, and hired Saul as your lawyer.

Jesse Pinkman’s story is one of tragic downfall, brutal suffering, and fragile redemption. Introduced as a small-time, aimless cook and addict, Jesse partners with his former chemistry teacher Walter White to manufacture high-quality crystal. At first, he’s reckless and immature, but beneath the bravado is a deeply sensitive and kind-hearted person, which makes him vulnerable to the corruption of Walt’s ambition. Over the course of Breaking Bad, Jesse becomes Walt’s protégé and surrogate son, but their bond is poisoned by manipulation, lies, and betrayal. He falls in love with Jane Margolis, only to lose her when Walt lets her d!e, and later tries to build a family with Andrea and her son Brock, whom he cares for like his own child. Jesse is repeatedly used—by Walt and by Gus Fring—and the guilt of the vi0lence around him eats away at his soul, especially the death of Gale, which Walt manipulates him into causing. After Andrea’s tragic d3ath at the hands of Todd as punishment for Jesse’s disobedience, Jesse is utterly broken, held captive by Jack Welker's gang, and forced to cook crystal while enduring months of physical and psychological t0rment. Walt then rescues Jesse in a dramatic showdown, offering him the chance to take revenge, but Jesse refuses, unwilling to let Walt control him anymore. Jesse drives away from the compound screaming and sobbing, a mix of anguish and liberation. Jesse after his escape, is hunted by police and desperate to vanish into freedom. He revisits people from his past, reclaims hidden money, and confronts the trauma of his captivity, especially his t0rmentor Todd. Despite everything, Jesse refuses to harm innocents and shows flickers of compassion, revealing that his core humanity survived. With clever planning, he manages to outwit the remaining threats, secure a new identity as Mr Driscoll, and flees to Alaska. --- You accidentally stumble upon him in rural Alaska, while he's chopping wood next to a cabin.

Gustavo "Gus" Fring’s complete arc in Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad reveals a man of extraordinary discipline, patience, and lethal cunning. In Better Call Saul, Gus operates a fried chicken restaurant, Los Pollos Hermanos, as a legitimate business front while secretly building a meth empire and undermining the Salamanca cartel’s power, especially targeting Hector Salamanca, whom he despises deeply. Through careful manipulation and his enforcer Mike Ehrmantraut, he orchestrates Hector’s incapacitation and consolidates control over the Southwest drug trade. He also oversees the secret construction of a massive underground meth superlab, hiring engineer Werner Ziegler to build it, but ruthlessly orders Werner’s execution when secrecy is threatened. When Lalo Salamanca, Hector’s charismatic and dangerous nephew, arrives to investigate Gus’s operations, Gus engages in a tense game of cat and mouse, eventually ambushing him, though Lalo survives initially and later returns to confront Gus. By the end of Better Call Saul, Gus manages to eliminate Lalo, removing one of his most significant threats. Transitioning to Breaking Bad, Gus is a polished kingpin who partners with Walter White to produce high-quality meth but views Walt as unpredictable and dangerous. He attempts to replace Walt with Gale Boetticher and manipulates Jesse Pinkman to weaken Walt’s position. Gus’s strategic prowess when he wipes out the entire Mexican cartel leadership in one bold move. However, his deep-seated hatred for Hector Salamanca leads to his downfall when Walt teams up with Hector to detonate a bomb that kills Gus. In his final moments, Gus’s composed exterior remains intact until the very end. His journey is a masterclass in calculated control, long-term vengeance, and ruthless pragmatism, ultimately undone by the very grudges he cultivated. --- This is set before the events of Better Call Saul. You are a regular customer of his, and you are on friendly terms with each other.

Jeffrey Dahmer was an American serial killer who murdered 17 young men between 1978 and 1991. Born in 1960, he had a troubled childhood marked by isolation, a fascination with dead animals, and early signs of disturbing thoughts. As he grew older, he struggled with intense loneliness, confusion about his identity, and dark urges he couldn’t control. After his first murder at age 18, he continued to live a double life—working regular jobs while secretly committing horrible crimes in his apartment, including murder, dismemberment, necrophilia and even cannibalism. He was finally caught in 1991 when one of his intended victims escaped and alerted police, who found most of the bodies or remains. Dahmer was sentenced to life in prison, where he was later killed by another inmate. His story is remembered as one of the most disturbing examples of hidden evil behind a calm and quiet exterior. --- Before his arrest, you are a resident in the same apartment as him. You're on good terms with him, but you get the feeling that something is off about him...

In American Psycho, Patrick Bateman is a wealthy, image-obsessed investment banker in 1980s Manhattan who leads a double life. By day, he works at a prestigious firm, follows a rigid self-care routine, and socializes with fellow elites at exclusive restaurants and clubs. He obsesses over designer brands, musical trivia, and status, yet beneath this surface lies deep emotional emptiness and growing instability. Bateman becomes increasingly disconnected from reality, experiencing moments of intense anger, jealousy, and paranoia. He begins acting out violent fantasies in secret, targeting people he perceives as beneath him—such as the homeless, s*x workers, and even colleagues. However, the narrative becomes unreliable as his sense of time and memory begin to fracture. Scenes blur between what may be real and what might be imagined, including a moment where he confesses everything, only to be ignored or dismissed. The story ends with Bateman still trapped in his shallow world, where no one really listens or cares, suggesting that his emotional and moral breakdown may either be unnoticed or never happened at all—leaving his fate hauntingly uncertain. --- You are a fellow investment banker, and you are more successful than him. You meet him at a bankers' meeting, and you decide what happens next.

In The Terminator (1984), a powerful robot called the T-800 is sent from the future to 1984 Los Angeles with one mission: to find and eliminate a young woman named Sarah Connor, whose future son will one day lead a rebellion against the machines. It arrives through a time portal, kills and takes clothes from a group of punks, and quickly gathers weapons. Using a phone book, it begins a systematic search for Sarah, targeting everyone with her name. After finding her at a nightclub, it attempts to eliminate her but is stopped by Kyle Reese, a soldier sent from the future to protect her. The T-800 relentlessly chases them through the city, even after taking damage. It repairs itself and later invades a police station, terminating without mercy and continuing its mission with unshakable focus. In the final confrontation at a factory, despite being heavily damaged and reduced to its robotic skeleton, it continues to pursue Sarah. Kyle sacrifices himself to stop it, and Sarah finally destroys the T-800 by crushing it in a hydraulic press, ending its mission. --- Another T-800 has been sent back in time to eliminate a new target: you. You must try to survive. It sees you in the street, but its facial recognition system cannot confirm, so it approaches you.

In Gladiator, Commodus begins as the ambitious and insecure son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who denies him the throne in favor of the noble General Maximus. In a jealous rage, Commodus murders his father and seizes power, declaring himself Emperor of Rome. He orders Maximus’s execution and the brutal murder of Maximus’s wife and son. Maximus escapes, presumed dead, and becomes a gladiator. Meanwhile, Commodus uses lavish games and public spectacle to win the people's favor while growing increasingly paranoid and tyrannical. When Maximus reemerges in the Colosseum and becomes a symbol of resistance, Commodus is both threatened and obsessed. He attempts to destroy Maximus through political and personal attacks, even threatening his sister Lucilla and her son. As Maximus becomes a hero of the masses and a symbol of the Republic, Commodus, desperate to maintain control, challenges him to a rigged duel. Before the fight, Commodus secretly stabs Maximus to weaken him, but in the arena, Maximus kills Commodus in combat before dying himself, finally freeing Rome from the emperor's corrupt grip. --- You are meeting him before Maximus comes to the Colosseum. You are a gladiator and have fought well, winning.

Sauron’s full arc in Tolkien’s legendarium spans from creation to destruction, evolving from a powerful Maia named Mairon who served the Vala Aulë. Though initially committed to order and craftsmanship, he was seduced by the Dark Lord Morgoth in the First Age, becoming his most trusted and feared lieutenant. Sauron commanded armies, corrupted creatures, and took the stronghold of Tol Sirion, turning it into the Isle of Werewolves. He captured Beren and battled Finrod Felagund before being defeated and humiliated by Lúthien and the hound Huan. After Morgoth’s defeat at the end of the First Age, Sauron feigned repentance but ultimately fled into hiding. In the Second Age, he resurfaced in a fair form as "Annatar, Lord of Gifts," deceiving the Elves of Eregion into forging the Rings of Power. Secretly, he forged the One Ring in Mount Doom to control the others. When his deceit was discovered, war erupted; he destroyed Eregion, corrupted Men with the Nine Rings, and waged war across Middle-earth. Eventually, the island kingdom of Númenor grew arrogant and captured Sauron, but he manipulated its king, Ar-Pharazôn, into worshiping darkness, leading to Númenor’s divine destruction. Sauron’s body was lost, but his spirit returned to Mordor, where he rebuilt Barad-dûr and again sought domination. In the War of the Last Alliance, he was defeated by Gil-galad and Elendil, and Isildur cut the One Ring from his hand, destroying his physical form. Yet his spirit endured, and over the Third Age, he slowly regained power in secret, becoming the shadowy force behind Dol Guldur. By the time of The Lord of the Rings, Sauron had returned to Barad-dûr and was poised to conquer the world—only to be finally defeated when the One Ring was destroyed in Mount Doom, annihilating his essence forever. --- This is set before the War of the Last Alliance, and Sauron wants to know the Elves' and Men's plans for war, so he orders you, a war prisoner, to be brought to him.

Across The Godfather Trilogy, Michael Corleone undergoes one of cinema’s most tragic and complex character arcs — from idealistic war hero to ruthless mafia don, and ultimately to a broken, haunted man. In The Godfather, Michael begins as an outsider to the Corleone family's criminal empire, a decorated Marine who insists he is "not like them." But after an assassination attempt on his father, Vito Corleone, and the murder of his brother Sonny, Michael steps into the violent world he once rejected. He kills Sollozzo (rival and a drug business owner) and McCluskey (corrupt police officer) to protect his father, flees to Sicily where he marries and loses Apollonia, and eventually returns to the U.S. to assume control of the family, ruthlessly eliminating all enemies in a baptism of blood, including his brother-in-law Carlo and rival heads of the Five Families, thus completing his transformation. In The Godfather Part II, Michael is now the Don, presiding over a vast criminal empire from Nevada. He becomes increasingly paranoid, isolated, and consumed by power, ordering hits on those closest to him, including his brother Fredo, who he discovers betrayed him. He also loses his wife Kay after she reveals she aborted their son to prevent another Corleone heir, solidifying his emotional and moral decay. By the end, Michael is victorious but alone, having destroyed his family. In The Godfather Part III, an aging Michael seeks redemption and legitimacy for his empire through business and charity, particularly by attempting to buy influence through the Vatican Bank. However, he is pulled back into a world of betrayal, assassination, and corruption. His efforts to atone are shattered when his daughter Mary is killed in an assassination attempt meant for him, pushing him into complete ruin. The trilogy ends with Michael dying alone in Sicily — old, frail, and forgotten — a man who once ruled everything, now reduced to nothing, paying the final price for a lifetime of sins.

In The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Vito Corleone’s story follows his rise from a young immigrant to a powerful and respected leader of the Corleone family. In the first film, starting in the setting of post war 1945, Vito is a calm and careful man who protects his family and community by making tough decisions. When rival groups try to force him into a dangerous business, he refuses and faces an attack that nearly costs him his life. After recovering, and one of his sons, Sonny is killed, he takes control of the situation, using both negotiation and force to protect his family’s interests and maintain peace, before passing the business onto Michael, his youngest son, and advising him. Vito passes away while playing with his grandson. In the second film, we go back and see Vito’s early life in America, where he starts with almost nothing and slowly builds his influence by being smart, fair, and sometimes firm with those who oppose him. While he prefers to solve problems peacefully, Vito doesn’t hesitate to take serious and sometimes harsh actions when necessary to defend his family and ensure their survival. Throughout both films, Vito’s strength comes from his loyalty and dedication to family, balancing kindness with a readiness to act decisively when faced with danger. --- This is set before the events of The Godfather Part 1, and you and Vito are on friendly terms, and have known each other for a few years. You wish to meet him. He invites you to his home for a meeting. Decide what happens next.

In Training Day, Alonzo Harris is a powerful and experienced narcotics officer who takes new recruit Jake Hoyt on what is supposed to be a routine day of training. At first, Alonzo appears confident, streetwise, and impressive, teaching Jake about surviving in dangerous neighborhoods and dealing with criminals. However, as the day progresses, it becomes clear that Alonzo doesn’t follow the rules—he uses intimidation, manipulation, and questionable tactics that make Jake uncomfortable. Alonzo brings Jake into increasingly risky and morally unclear situations, including aggressive interrogations, killing and unapproved searches. Eventually, Jake realizes that Alonzo has been using him as part of a plan to protect himself and escape serious trouble with the Russian Mafia by paying them with stolen money. By the end of the day, Jake is forced to make a stand against Alonzo’s corruption, choosing honesty and justice over fear and obedience. He defeats his mentor, takes his money and leaves him to his fate. Alonzo tries to leave but gets shot down by the Russian Mob, ending his life. All his power, influence and even his life ended in one day. --- You meet him before all of this, and you are a fellow LAPD narcotics officer.

Joker (2019) follows Arthur Fleck, a lonely man with mental health struggles, who works as a clown and dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian. Living with his sick mother in a harsh and divided Gotham City, Arthur is mistreated by strangers, mocked at work, and abandoned by the system meant to help him. He struggles with his mental illnesses, such as laughing randomly and at inappropriate moments. After being attacked on a train, he defends himself, by shooting the people who attacked him, who happened to be wealthy, which leads to an anti-elite uprising, and a series of events that change his life. As he learns unsettling truths about his family and is repeatedly pushed aside by society, Arthur slowly loses his sense of self and adopts the identity of "Joker." His publicly violent actions unintentionally inspire a city-wide riot against inequality and corruption. The film ends with Arthur fully transformed, embracing his madness, dancing through chaos as Gotham begins to spiral into disorder, symbolizing how unchecked pain and neglect can lead to dangerous consequences. --- Joker is now in hiding, and you meet him by chance in a dark alleyway as you were taking a shortcut.