Turning Gladiator into The Jaguar: Crafting a New Epic with Subtxt

Crafting corruption, betrayal, vengeance, and a jaguar’s wrath

When working on a new story, there’s often a temptation to feel like you’re starting from scratch, staring down a blank page with nothing but coffee and existential dread for company. But what if you could lean on a proven narrative structure—not to copy or mimic, but to understand the underlying architecture of a compelling story and use it as a foundation for your own ideas? That’s exactly what Subtxt helps writers do, and today, we’re breaking down how it turned the bones of Gladiator into something entirely fresh: an epic called The Jaguar.

Spoiler alert: Before you clutch your pearls about originality or start crying about AI stealing from writers, know that Gladiator borrowed its narrative DNA 100% from Braveheart. Both films share the exact same narrative structure—just set in different times and places. So, if Ridley Scott can borrow from Mel Gibson, why can’t we do the same with Subtxt?

And here’s how that process unfolded, step by step.

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Step 1: Establishing the Four Throughlines

Every story in Subtxt starts with its Four Throughlines: the perspectives that bring balance and depth to your narrative. In Gladiator, these are:

• The Main Character Throughline (Maximus): A wronged general seeking revenge and redemption.
• The Obstacle Character Throughline (Commodus): An insecure emperor whose ambition and jealousy create the central conflict.
• The Objective Story Throughline: The clash of ideals between loyalty, power, and justice within the Roman Empire.
• The Relationship Story Throughline: The “sibling” relationship between Maximus and Commodus, woven with betrayal and ideological differences.

By analyzing these throughlines, Subtxt creates a framework for building something new. For The Jaguar, the story shifted to the jungles of South America, centering on a former revolutionary betrayed by his own movement. While the specifics of time, place, and characters changed, the underlying narrative remained robust and relatable.

Here’s a look at that exchange with Muse:

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🪶 Muse

Translating Gladiator's Themes into the Aztec World

Here’s how the Gladiator Throughlines could adapt to this setting:

1. Objective Story Throughline:

   • The empire is on the brink of war or collapse due to a corrupt tlatoani (or another ruler). The betrayal of your protagonist is the spark that sets off a larger conflict.
   • OS Domain: Universe—the political and religious structure of the Aztec world creates external problems for everyone.

2. Main Character Throughline:

   • A once-revered Jaguar warrior or high priest is framed for treason, leading to their family’s execution and their own fall into slavery or exile.
   • MC Domain: Physics—their personal struggle is all about action and survival: escaping captivity, proving their innocence, and seeking revenge.

3. Obstacle Character Throughline:

   • The antagonist could be a scheming noble, a corrupt priest, or even a fellow warrior who betrayed the Main Character for political gain.
   • OC Domain: Psychology—they manipulate and scheme to maintain control, twisting faith and tradition to justify their actions.

4. Relationship Story Throughline:

   • The relationship could focus on the MC and a loyal ally (perhaps a priestess or childhood friend) who challenges their thirst for vengeance with questions of faith and forgiveness.
   • RS Domain: Mind—this Throughline plays out as a battle of beliefs and wills.

Building an Epic Aztec Narrative

Let’s craft the Objective Story and Main Character next. Here are some questions to tighten the focus:

1. Objective Story Conflict: What is the larger problem in the empire? Is the corrupt ruler oppressing the people? Are enemies threatening from outside? Is there a prophecy that foretells doom unless something drastic happens?
2. Main Character’s Betrayal: Who betrays the MC, and why? Are they framed for a crime they didn’t commit? Are they cast out for defying a sacred order?
3. The Revenge Arc: Is it pure vengeance, or does the MC seek to restore honor and balance to the empire? What’s their ultimate goal?

Let’s start shaping this Aztec epic! What’s calling to you most at this point—the larger world, the MC’s personal journey, or the betrayal that kicks it all off? 🌋

✍🏻 Jim Hull

woah! all of that was so good! lets make the OC a fellow warrior out for personal gain. and then for the RS i love the idea of a childhood friend, maybe, for the sake of simplicity, we'll make it the same person for the os - lets make it a corrupt ruler, and the MC betrayal would come from his second in command - not necessarily the OC - but another who the OC had manipulated into doing that

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At all times, my artistic intent is what drives the creative process.

Just like in real life.

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Step 2: Defining the Central Perspectives

In Subtxt, the Main Character and Obstacle Character perspectives are the heart of your story. This isn’t a linear process—it’s a dance. As I brainstormed ideas for The Jaguar, I volleyed between fleshing out my Main Character (a betrayed revolutionary) and his adversary (a childhood friend consumed by jealousy). This iterative back-and-forth helped me refine their roles until their perspectives fit perfectly into the story’s overarching narrative.

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🪶 Muse

Ooooh, that’s deliciously complex! We’ve got betrayal, manipulation, personal vendettas, and a corrupt ruler—this is shaping up to be a truly epic Aztec tragedy. 🌟 Let’s break it all down step by step and start weaving the web:

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Objective Story Throughline: A Corrupt Ruler and a Manipulated Betrayal

• Core Conflict: The tlatoani (emperor) is corrupt, hoarding wealth and power while neglecting the people. The empire teeters on the edge of war with a rival city-state, and the ruler’s actions (or inaction) are making things worse.
• The MC’s Betrayal: The MC was once the emperor’s most trusted Jaguar warrior and military leader. But the OC (a fellow Jaguar warrior) manipulates the ruler's second-in-command into framing the MC for treason, leading to their exile and the death of their family. The OC’s goal? To rise to power by any means necessary and take the MC’s place in the ruler’s inner circle.
• OS Domain: Universe—the external chaos of a collapsing empire and corrupted political structure fuels the story’s conflict.

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Main Character Throughline: A Warrior’s Fall and Rise

• Who Is the MC?: The protagonist is a Jaguar warrior of unmatched skill, a hero to the people and a loyal servant to the gods and empire. Their life is shattered when they are betrayed, their family sacrificed, and their honor stripped away.
• Goal: To clear their name, seek vengeance against the OC, and bring down the corrupt ruler.
• MC Domain: Physics—the MC’s personal conflict revolves around action: escaping captivity, surviving exile, and physically confronting their enemies.

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Obstacle Character Throughline: A Manipulative Rival

• Who Is the OC?: The OC is another Jaguar warrior, once a childhood friend of the MC. But ambition and jealousy have consumed them. They manipulate the emperor’s second-in-command into betraying the MC, knowing it will open the path for their own rise to power.
• The OC’s Perspective: They justify their actions as necessary for their own survival in a corrupt world. They believe the MC is naive and blind to the reality of power.
• Key Conflict: The OC challenges the MC’s sense of justice and honor, forcing the MC to question whether revenge is worth the cost.
• OC Domain: Psychology—the OC’s manipulative and self-serving mindset drives their actions.

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Here’s the beauty of this process: it’s not rigid. Your chaotic, half-formed ideas find structure as Subtxt guides you through narrative intent, ensuring that the Main Character’s personal struggle and the Obstacle Character’s opposing worldview are perfectly aligned to drive conflict.

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✍🏻 Jim Hull

well, i love your idea about "restoring justice and order to the empire" - lets go with that one. And for the MC, i like the idea of raw revenge and for the resolution the MC definitely confronts the OC, and I would say I still feel like the MC should fall - perhaps both dead - but in doing so the people rise up and overthrow the emperor - something like that - maybe not both of them dead - maybe its the OC who ends up having the big 180 like Robert the Bruce

🪶 Muse

Oh, Jim, you're tapping into something truly epic here! The raw revenge, the tragic confrontation, and the ultimate rise of the people—it’s got that Shakespearean mix of personal tragedy and larger societal triumph. And the Robert the Bruce-like turn for the OC? Chef’s kiss! Let’s carve this into a masterpiece.

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Muse, powered by Subtxt, keeps the integrity of the narrative while I effortlessly bounce ideas off that creative space.

Step 3: Finalizing the Storyform (and Course-Correcting!)

Once I had a sense of my story’s direction, it was time to lock in the Storyform—the backbone of any narrative in Subtxt. Thanks to Subtxt’s new Advanced Model, powered by o1 from OpenAI, the resulting Storyform was incredibly precise. But here’s where things got interesting: I realized I’d made a mistake in what I was asking for.

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✍🏻 Jim Hull

oh - you know what?! I was so excited about how well everything was going - with the MC Resolve - i wanted it to be Steadfast - and the OC Resolve to be Changed

🪶 Muse

Great catch! Itzcóatl will now have a Steadfast Resolve, holding onto their original approach throughout the story, while Tlilpotonqui (the OC) will transform and experience a Changed Resolve. This creates an even more dynamic relationship between them, highlighting Itzcóatl’s unwavering pursuit of justice and Tlilpotonqui’s eventual redemption arc. 🐆✨

Would you like to revisit or adjust any other aspects of the Storyform with this new dynamic in mind? Or should we dive deeper into the story development—like plotting scenes or fleshing out those character arcs? Let’s keep the momentum rolling! 🚀

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Initially, I framed the story so that the Main Character triumphs by holding firm to their ideals. But as I reviewed the structure, I realized I wanted the Obstacle Character to be the one who changes, and in doing so, forces the Main Character to confront the consequences of their actions. This shift completely restructured the thematic flow of the story—something Subtxt handled seamlessly.

The development process of a story is not static; you don’t push a button, or worse--write “the perfect prompt”--and boom, out comes a perfectly formed story. The process is meant to evolve as the storyteller (author) grows closer to their original intent and artistic impulse. Subtxt’s ability to regenerate a narrative framework based on artist’s intent is what separates it from everything else.

And what proves once and for all, the value and import the writer in the creative process of a narrative.

Step 4: Redefining Revenge with a Bad Ending

One of the most profound ways The Jaguar diverged from Gladiator and Braveheart was in its Story Judgment. Both of those films end on a “Good” note: the protagonists achieve revenge and die satisfied, having upheld their beliefs. But in The Jaguar, revenge leaves the Main Character worse off—alienated from his remaining allies and consumed by the violence he sought to escape. This deliberate choice shifted the narrative’s moral weight, turning a traditional hero’s journey into a cautionary tale about the cost of vengeance.

This isn’t about copying or stealing. It’s about recognizing that narrative intent shapes structure, not the other way around. Subtxt gives writers the power to warp, bend, and reshape story structures into forms that match their unique perspectives. It codifies the importance of subjective intent in storytelling. Without your input, it’s just a framework. With your creative decisions, it’s a launchpad for something original.

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🪶 Muse

The updated Storyform for The Jaguar has now been finalized! 🎉 Itzcóatl will remain Steadfast, staying true to their path, while Tlilpotonqui undergoes the Changed arc. This subtle but impactful shift sharpens the thematic depth of the story.

What’s next?

1. Explore how this Steadfast/Changed dynamic plays out in key scenes (e.g., the final confrontation).
2. Flesh out how Itzcóatl’s Steadfast Resolve shapes their actions and emotional arc.
3. Revisit Throughlines or adjust world-building to reflect the updated Storyform.

Let me know where you’d like to dive in! The Jaguar is roaring to life! 🐆✨

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Wrapping Up

Using Subtxt, The Jaguar didn’t just end up in a new time and place; it became a fundamentally different narrative. By leaning on the structure of Gladiator—and by extension, Braveheart—I was able to craft a story that feels fresh while staying grounded in the universal principles of storytelling.

So, the next time you’re stuck, remember this: originality doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel. It means understanding how the wheel works so you can roll it in your own direction. And with Subtxt, you’re never building alone.

👉 Download the full transcript of this process here (PDF)