Narrative Equilibrium – Tzvetan Todorov

Identifying Tzvetan Todorov's Theory in an extract from Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation, 2015

The Proppian characters identified from the extract are a dispatcher, a hero, and helpers. In the beginning, a man is seen directing the others to complete areas of the mission, therefore is the dispatcher of the film, which leads to the introduction of the other characters.

The hero is the man who jumps on the plane to address the dangerous package on it. But, he encounters a near-death experience as he hangs off the side of the plane waiting for the door to open.

The helper to this hero is Benji, who is seemingly capable of hacking into the plane system and opening it as the hero's 'last hope.' The other characters who are also aiding the mission to get the package of explosives off the plane pressure him to open the door. Benji struggles at first to do so but eventually completes the task.

The equilibrium is the opening of the extract showing a green and calm field with one of the characters, Benji, appearing to be humorously camouflaging himself, along with showcasing the other characters in straight cuts back and forth. This equilibrium breaks into disruption and becomes more intense as the characters feel the pressure of the plane taking off with the package at any given time.

Still image from Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation, 2015, of a field and sunset in which the extract opens to convey a sense of calmness before jumping straight into the mid-action of the plot. Camouflaged Benji can also be seen in the distance.

The disruption takes place when the plane begins to lift off with the package before the characters are able to remove it, the man jumps on the plane as it rises in a risky attempt to do it himself and there is a struggle to get the door he is clinging onto open.

A new equilibrium is established as the hero successfully attaches the package of explosives to himself to parachute them off the plane. He got on the plane and got out safely while simultaneously completing the mission.

In media res is apparent in the way disequilibrium takes up a majority of the extract. The characters each have a significant role in how the mission gets resolved and the mission is not going smoothly (mid-action plot). An immediate crisis is created as well and becomes more intense as the clip progresses, with the man hanging off the side of the plane. 

Still image from Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation, 2015, of the man clinging to the side of the plane, hanging onto the door he needs to get in.

Multiperspective narratives are developed as the clip shifts between different characters' words and reactions who are in entirely different areas, yet all working on the same mission. The story being told in bits between them reveals disequilibrium as each character pressures the other to get the door opened and the package off the plane. A specific example is Benji furiously clicking on the tablet as the editing brings the audience to the other characters in straight cuts, yelling at him to get the door to open.

Narrative Equilibrium Applied

The purpose of the extract is to build the plot's suspense and impact by using narrative equilibrium to structure it. For example, by presenting the plot in what quickly appears to be in media res, a mid-action disequilibrium crisis, viewers of the film will share the anticipation and fear of the characters. This calms when a new equilibrium is established using the door opening and the escape off the plane with the mission being successful, wrapping up the plot using aspects of the theory to convey its intensity.