Character Playlist: Church

Character art by Mr. K.

Church is the character who changed the most drastically from his initial conception. He was basically always a sword-wielding, young, good natured cleric, but what exactly that good nature meant changed a lot. Originally, he was a much more hesitant character, with a much stronger aversion to the violence that came with being a freelancer.

Ultimately though, that got scrapped when I admitted to myself I was just poorly retreading a character I’d read elsewhere, so I looked for a way to make him more mine. And the eventual breakthrough I had with him came from somewhere that probably should have been obvious—I gave Church an arc centered around my own experience with religion.

Namely, there came a point in my life where I didn’t feel like I was learning anything sitting in a church pew on Sunday, and I felt unmoored by that. And the advice I got that got me out of that funk was “maybe it’s time to stop studying and start doing.” Stop just sitting and listening, and go out into the world and start making a difference in people’s lives.

And that became the backbone of Church’s identity. Someone who felt the call to the purpose of helping others. And I think that sense of purpose really buoyed him as a character. He lost the hard pacifist angle, and he became someone much more willing to fight and stand his ground for what he thought was right. And I think he and the whole crew are all the better for it.

“Keep Your Head Up” — Andy Grammer

There’s an optimism to Church that can be kind of subtle at times. It has its limits, but it’s there. And by God, does he need it.

“Welcome to the Black Parade” — My Chemical Romance

From the man who trained Church to him. From Church, to those he’ll train. It was never my intention to make a line of adoptive succession be a major aspect of Church’s character, but here we are.

“All These Things That I’ve Done” — The Killers

Full disclosure, 90% of the reason this song is here is for the bridge, and the remaining 10% is for all the lines begging for help. Sometimes I’m not subtle.

“World So Cold” — 12 Stones

Despite his optimism, Church isn’t blind to the darkness in the world. Though to him, it’s an abnormality. The world to him is a fundamentally good place. Things that change that are an intrusion. Maybe a common one. But still an intrusion. And maybe an intrusion that can be pushed out.

“Losing My Religion” — R.E.M.

At a certain point near the end, Church began to sour on the life he was living as a Starbreaker. Their good deeds felt less like an intention of the group and more happy accidents. And with priorities of the group misaligning with his own, he was left with a choice: lose his friends, or lose his principles.

Eventually, the choice was made for him.

“The Older I Get” — Skillet

The Starbreakers have an incredibly deep wound separating them, and it stayed fresh and raw long enough that reconciliation almost felt like there was no point to it anymore. But wounds heal. Seven years after it all fell apart, it hurts a lot less. And maybe that’s enough.

“Shy Away” — Twenty One Pilots

Within the Starbreakers, I consider Church “the one who figured himself out.” It’s not entirely true, he does still have things to learn and he’s not quite to where he truly needs to be, but he’s far further along than most of his companions, and he’s far enough along that he feel comfortable helping others find their own way forward in life.

“Protector” — City Wolf

Like I’ve said a few times, I think every playlist needs a “time to kick ass” songs. I think it’s fitting that Church’s be one oriented toward defending others rather than destroying who he’s up against—not that he can’t.

“Battle Scars” — Paradise Fears

Out of all the Starbreakers, I think Church always remained closest to Angel. There’s a bond there that lets them get each other and motivate the other in a way that’s missing a little bit from the others.

“Good Times” — All Time Low

The past isn’t so tainted that Church can’t still remember what was good about the old days. In fact, recognizing the good along with the bad was probably what helped him adjust as well as he did. With the other Starbreakers, they could only see the past as either a good or a bad thing. Church was the one who recognized both.

And that’s why he’s the one who gets to give the book’s thesis statement in the story. And why we’re closing it out with this track.

I couldn’t quite justify including Stand By Me by Florence + The Machine, but that cover is absolutely gorgeous. Go listen to it if you haven’t.

Church is one of the Starbreakers, the main characters of my novel They Met in a Tavern, releasing August 10, 2021.