Consider Dez Hunter, One of My Original Characters
So, who is Dez Hunter?
Kitty and Mink were easy and I thought of them almost immediately. But then I needed a boyfriend for Kitty.
Where Did Dez Hunter Come From?
I first decided that Kitty’s boyfriend would be a kind of bad boy. So, Dez comes with the trappings—skateboard, attitude, and a sparse goatee. Then, when I was developing his father in particular, I realized that he and his father would not get along. This works to keep him where he is—and get Dad out of the picture.
The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Dez Hunter
The class bad boy is growing up in a working class home, his father on a construction crew, working as a supervisor. His mother is a diabetic. I haven’t decided if she was working outside the home. But either way, they could afford some discretionary spending.
Much like Kitty, he can’t be bothered to do class work. So when he and Kitty start dating, he gets in on Mink doing his homework. It’s probably the only way he’ll pass History.
At the start of the book, he’s sent to the principal’s office—and he makes it clear that this is not going to be his first detention.
Was he kicked out of his home before the power blew? Or did he leave more or less voluntarily? I confess even I’m not 100% certain.
Description
I like Dylan O’Brien from The Maze Runner. But I’m not 100% sold on him and could potentially be persuaded to choose another young actor for this look. For one thing, he’s probably already too old.
Purpose/Theme/Motivation
Dez provides two things that the other characters need for their very survival. The first is the air rifle (it’s a .22). Without it, things would have gotten a lot more desperate, a lot more quickly. Craig is the one who really knows how to use it. But he wouldn’t have one in the first place without Dez.
The other gets us heavily into spoiler territory. So, let’s just say that Dez’s physical strength become vital at just the right moment.
Quotes {Craig and Dez are talking; Craig speaks first}
“My pappy was sharp as a tack to the end. It is possible.” Craig looked at the mess of electronics skeptically. “When I was younger than you, I used to take stuff apart all the time. My momma didn’t know what to do with me. I’d take apart the TV remote, put it back together, stuff like that. Used to have pieces left over. It’s a big part of why I went into engineering. And I went into civil on account of a hankering to build bridges. The Army paid my way. Then I was introduced to a guy who worked at NASA. That’s more or less how I ended up there after retiring early from the Army. You got plans?”
“Do they matter?”
“You tell me.”
“I guess they do. I don’t know. Dad was pushing me to go to college or he’d put me in his construction crew.”
“Wait, did your parents leave without you?”
Relationships
Like everyone else in Mettle, Dez has a relationship of some sort with everyone. But these two are his closest relationships.
Dez and Kitty
Of course Kitty would have a boyfriend. But they don’t treat each other well at all. They aren’t truly together due to any real affection between them. Rather, for her, it’s being with a bad boy. And for him, it’s being with the hottest girl in the school. But when all is said and done, they really don’t have anything in common.
When she goes to seek FEMA aid, it’s got to be a relief for him.
Dez and Mink
I have kind of flirted with an idea of them getting together. But I really only hint at it. So, I leave it to the reader’s imagination. So, have at it!
Conflict and Turning Point
For Dez, the conflict and the turning point are the same as they are for the other characters in Mettle. When the power goes out, he becomes unmoored. But when his father becomes somewhat unhinged, Dez has to get out. So, he and Kitty go to Mink’s.
But this also means leaving his sick mother. With no power and no way to restore it, a diabetic like her is not going to survive. To Dez’s credit, at least he realizes this. But it’s still a bitter pill to swallow.
Continuity/Easter Eggs
He doesn’t really have any continuity with any other storylines. Dez exists on his own, more or less.
Future Plans
He will definitely show up in the prequel!
Dez Hunter: Takeaways
Dez almost fancies himself James Dean—if he knew who James Dean was, that is. And the events of Mettle give this rebel a good cause.
Dez Hunter — a character who gets a chance to shine.
Want More of Mettle?
If Mettle resonates with you, then check out my other articles about how changes in the periodic table nearly kill us all.