How to Write A Memorable (Not Infamous) Comic Relief Character

By Allison Grace

Quick show of hands. Who else thinks Jar Jar Binks is a terrible comic relief character? 

Ah, that’s what I thought. Most of you agree. (And those of you who don’t, no hard feelings.)

So why exactly is he annoying? And why do most comic relief characters fall flat on their faces without making anyone laugh unless it’s in pure agony? 

In short, they lack purpose and personality but have no shortage of puns.

Let’s take a look at three common mistakes writers make about comic relief and three ways to fix them. 

Don’t #1: Make Them Simply a Comic Relief Character

Comic relief characters never get enough love. 

They get 2-D personalities and a cheesy sense of humor. Then their authors dust off their hands and turn to develop other elements of their stories. As long as they can crack a joke, they are well-developed.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Comic relief is just a hat your character should wear.

A character should not be in your story solely because they can crack a joke. They need a personality and a purpose (we’ll look at purpose in the next point). 

Here are some questions to help you develop their personality:

• Why are they funny? Are they insecure? Are they trying to get attention? To hide something? Or are they just a naturally funny person?

• What type of humor do they have? Is it cheesy or complex? 

• Besides their humor, what is their most defining characteristic?

Do #1: Give Them a Vital Role in the Story

Yes, your comic relief character can be funny. But they need a purpose beyond laughing in the face of death. 

This is one of the reasons a lot of people don’t like Jar Jar Binks. If you take him away from the story, the plot of Star Wars doesn’t really change. Yeah, he bumbles along and opens convenient plot devices but other, more important characters could have accomplished the same purpose. 

Gif credit: Tenor

Let’s look quickly at another character from Star Wars who brings the story comic relief: Obi-Wan Kenobi. He brings sarcasm and sass and is always up for a battle of wits. 

So, why don’t people get annoyed with his comic relief?

He has a greater purpose in the Star Wars universe.

He’s not just there to get a laugh out of the audience. Try removing Obi-Wan from the Star Wars story and you’ll see it’s impossible. He’s integral to the story, the same way Anakin Skywalker is.

Obi-Wan:

• Taught the Chosen One

• Guided the Jedi Council

• Lead armies during the Clone Wars

• Protected Luke Skywalker

• Told Luke to find Yoda

Or consider Tony Stark. He has a quip for every occasion, much to the annoyance of his more serious companions like Cap. 

Gif credit: Tenor

But like Obi-Wan, he is more than just a comic relief character. He’s just as important to the MCU as Captain America or Thor. Take his character away and the storyline falls apart. 

Tony Stark:

• Became Iron Man

• Helped lead the Avengers

• Built Ultron

• Divided the Avengers

• Brought Spider-man onto the team

• Saved Earth on multiple occasions

Your comic relief character doesn’t need to be as huge of a character as Tony or Obi-Wan. But they need to be more than a jokester. 

Don’t #2: Force Humor

Nothing is more annoying than forced humor. I’m sure you’ve been around someone who is trying to be funny and no one else finds it amusing. That person probably keeps going, only entertaining themselves, until someone tells them to be quiet or else. 

Comic relief characters often try too hard to be funny. They see puns everywhere and make abundant use of “dad jokes.” And when in doubt, potty humor is sure to get a chuckle. 

Your reader knows when you are jamming something (not just humor) into your story that doesn’t belong. Forced jokes are like a neon sign reading: LAUGH HERE.

Do #2: Let Their Humor Flow Naturally From Their Character

Humor is best when it comes naturally. It should make sense with the character. 

There are so many kinds of humor out there that get glossed over. 

• Satire

• Irony

• Sarcasm

• Word-play

These types get ignored because they take more effort than a fart joke. But they are much more powerful and memorable. 

Multi-layered humor is much more interesting. Particularly if it’s funny on the surface level, but has a deeper meaning once you consider it. 

Think of Shakespeare’s Fool in King Lear. On the surface, he’s jesting. But his words hold truth and clarity that even the serious characters don’t possess. 

I’m going to play up a stereotype here, but in general, if your character is more mature, they will use more complex humor. An immature character will settle for the first pun that comes to mind. 

Don’t #3: Crack Jokes at the End of the World

Nothing, and I mean nothing, is worse than a joke at the wrong time. 

Poorly placed humor demolishes the tone and throws the reader off. 

Just imagine it. You are watching a dramatic fight scene. It’s intense and you are on the edge of your seat. Suddenly, the soundtrack switches from epic vocals to a peppy pop song. It might just be for a minute, but you can’t get back into the same mood you were before. 

This is known as bathos and it can be REALLY annoying.

Collins Dictionary says "In literary criticism, bathos is a sudden change in speech or writing from a serious or important subject to a ridiculous or very ordinary one." 

Quick side note: Some stories, such as The Lego Movie, use bathos to their advantage. These types of stories are often comedies or are intentionally poking fun at themselves. A good instance of this is Vitruvius’ prophecy. The scene is very serious as is the prophecy itself. Well, it is serious until this:

Gif credit: Tenor  

Do #3: Know when humor is appropriate

This can be one of the hardest things to determine. The best advice I can give you is to follow your gut. 

Don’t #3 said not to joke at the end of the world. But sometimes, it’s okay to joke then. It might be just what your story needs. Or it could be an instance of unintentional bathos. 

There’s a scene in Avengers: Endgame where Marvel does a good job of restraining their humor. Captain America is giving the team directions and Tony looks like he’s about to make an incredibly sarcastic comment. It’s literally on the tip of his tongue, but he doesn’t say it. Why? Because it would have hurt the scene more than helped it.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to know if it’s time to joke or not:

• What would it do to the tone of the scene? (Keep in mind, your character could use dark humor.)

• If I was watching my book as a movie, would I appreciate a joke here? 

• Would the humor flow naturally from my character at this point in time? (Some people joke when they are stressed and nervous, others get really quiet.)

As you are developing your comic relief character, remember:

• Don’t make them purely comic relief. Be sure they have an important role in the story.

• Don’t force the humor. Let it flow naturally from the character’s personality.

• Don’t joke at bad times. Learn when it’s time to joke and when it’s time to get serious. 

With a little bit of work, you can build a comic relief character who is likable and funny. 

Want to learn more about comic relief? Here are a couple of videos I watched while researching this article!

Character Types: The Comic Relief--from Kingdom Pen!

Comic Relief Characters--from Terrible Writing Advice (I’m fairly certain this particular video is clean, but not all of his are.)

Who is your favorite comic relief character? What is the most memorable joke you’ve read?