Consider Minka Lopez, One of My Original Characters
So, just who is Minka Lopez?
A few of the characters for Mettle came to me quickly. Minka is one of them. But she was always the second half of a duo, Kitty and Mink. But she always felt like an insecure outsider.
I originally envisioned her as a kind of hanger-on, who would essentially worship Kitty and the popularity Kitty could bring.
Where Did Minka Lopez Come From?
I think we have all seen teenage girls just like Mink. Yearning to be popular, and hitching their wagon to what they think is the likeliest star.
But then as I started to write more of her, she got a difficult backstory.
The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Minka Lopez
This will come out a lot more in the Nanowrimo prequel story, which may very well have to wait until 2024. But there are little flashes of her background in Mettle all the same.
After all, Kitty is clearly wearing designer this and that, whereas Minka is more of a wannabe. Kitty has someone who styles her hair, perhaps every day and certainly most days. Mink has to do this herself.
Kitty also has somewhat softer outfits, clearly selected to show off her coloring and figure to their maximum potential. Mink, on the other hand, has to guess and make do.
I only hint at Mink’s home life, nothing more. She lives with her Aunt Doreen—but why?
A Description of Minka Lopez
I see the young actress Victoria Moroles for Mink. It’s especially gratifying to me that she made a TV movie called Cloud 9 with Dove Cameron, who I have always seen as Kitty. And this image, I feel, exemplifies their earlier life perfectly.
Moroles and Cameron also made a TV show together, Liv and Maddie. I really love that I’m not the first person who ever thought about putting these two actresses together.
Unfortunately, they’re both past high school roles—and these are junior high/middle school roles, anyway.
Purpose/Theme/Motivation
Apart from trying desperately to be popular, Mink follows Kitty around a lot. Although Dez has something to say about that, at times. But while he and Mink are somewhat competitive for Kitty’s attention, they do get along.
Mink even leaves with Kitty, seeking the center of the city in the hopes of … something. Yet Kitty miscalculates horribly, and Mink barely escapes.
When she returns to Brighton, one of Mink’s main purposes comes to life—she serves as a witness to the horrors of downtown Boston during the extended power outage and other events chronicled in Mettle.
Another one of her purposes is that she has a paper calendar. Even when she’s not around, the calendar (which Dez keeps until she returns) keeps the story grounded in time.
Quotes
There was a dull ringing noise, and something grazed Nell’s foot. It was Mink’s earring, but the silver was dull and twisted. Somehow, the feather was still attached. Nell held it up for a second, it looked so strange.
“Minka, I did not tell you to stop.”
“Mrs. Davis, look.” Mink swept her dark brown hair away from her left ear. The other earring was still in, as twisted as the one Nell held in her hand. The remnants of that earring were shoved into a too-small piercing in Mink’s ear, and she bled.
Mrs. Davis sighed. “Go to the nurse’s office. With, hmm—with Penny.”
Nell froze.
Kitty spoke up. “I should go. I mean, I’m practically a nurse already. I am a total fucking angel of mercy or something.”
“No, you’re the next one to read. Now Minka and Penny, go straight to the nurse’s office.” Mrs. Davis scribbled her signature on a pair of hall passes. “Get fixed up and come right back. No dawdling and no detours, understand?”
“Yeah,” Mink and Nell said almost at the same time. They left the classroom, closing the door behind them.
The hallway was all but deserted. “You gonna punch me?” Nell asked.
“No. Why would I do that?”
“Kitty usually does.”
Mink shrugged. “Oh. Well, she’s not here. So, I won’t.”
“You do everything Kitty tells you to?”
Mink gathered her hair into a rough ponytail. “It’s important to be popular. Fuck, this thing hurts.”
“Here, I found the other one.” Nell handed over the ruined earring.
“Did you stomp on it?”
“It was like that when I picked it up.”
Relationships
Mink doesn’t really have any romantic relationships in the story. But she does have one big, fat friendship relationship.
Kitty and Mink
The first time we ever really see her, it’s in history class. And, she’s got not only her own homework, but also Dez and Kitty’s. Did Mink do their homework? I would have to say yes. In particular, I see Kitty as such a user that this would pretty much be expected. That is something like, if you want to hang around with me, this is the price of admission and access.
Mink is very much a sycophant for Kitty, going along with nearly anything and everything, in the almighty service of her attempts at social climbing.
Conflict and Turning Point
Mink’s conflict and turning points are virtually the same as for the other characters. In particular, when the power goes out, her life turns upside-down. Because her aunt is missing. Mink, essentially, becomes a homeowner at the age of 14.
Continuity/Easter Eggs
I don’t have any Easter eggs for her and don’t really see a way to add her to overall continuity or crossing over to anything else I’ve written.
Future Plans
Mink will show up in the prequel, as will the other main characters.
Minka Lopez: Takeaways
While all of the characters in the story change and grow, her change is perhaps the most radical. Because once she’s been through the events of Mettle, there is no way she will see social climbing or popularity as being important ever again.
Minka Lopez — the survivor character.
Want More of Minka Lopez and the Rest of Mettle?
If Mettle resonates with you, then check out my other articles about how changes in the periodic table nearly kill us all.