: Re: Good examples of fear/terror inducing techniques used with enemies What good examples of fear/terror inducing techniques do you know? Off the top of my head I am thinking of: the Apache Indians

@Lee1909368

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Broadly, the first thing that pops to mind is a cascading series of events demonstrating the antagonist's power and the protagonist's weakness:

Protagonist believes he or she has a solution. That could be a
method of escape, or a way to counter the antagonist, or some other
plan that will move them toward resolution. Protagonist executes
this plan.
Plan seems to be working until a critical point when it's revealed
that the protagonist's "solution" was really the product of
manipulation on the antagonist's part. We (and the protagonist) see
that not only has ground been lost because of the time and energy
wasted on the plan, but that the antagonist is thinking n steps
ahead of the protagonist.

If possible, it should be a surprise to both the viewer/reader and the protagonist. When this sort of sequence is executed well, there's a wonderful sinking dread that sets in at the moment of realization.

When executed poorly, it can feel predictable or contrived.

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