Character Relationship Map: Duane Incarnate

Characters

• Wanda (played by Crystal Bock) — protagonist

  Wanda is a repeatedly disappointed woman whose friends view her as a loser who constantly becomes involved with unsuitable men. She announces that she has fallen in love with Duane, insists that he is...

• Gwen (played by Caroleen Feeney) — supporting

  Gwen is one of three women living a contented life in New York City and regularly gathering with her friends at their favorite watering hole. Skeptical of Wanda’s latest romantic claim, she joins the...

• Fran (played by Kristen Johnston) — supporting

  Fran is part of the close-knit group of women who share a happy life and meet at their usual watering hole. Having heard Wanda make similar romantic claims before, she joins the others in refusing to...

• Connie (played by Cynthia Watros) — supporting

  Connie is one of Wanda’s friends and a member of the women’s group that challenges Wanda’s description of her new boyfriend. She is involved in examining Duane after he unexpectedly appears, grows sus...

• Duane (played by Peter Hermann) — supporting

  Duane is Wanda’s new boyfriend, whom she presents as the most spectacular man alive. When he unexpectedly appears, he seems remarkably perfect rather than like the disappointing men Wanda usually date...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Wanda → Duane (Romantic Boyfriend) — Wanda and Duane are presented as a romantic couple.

  Wanda announces that she has met a spectacular man, says they are in love, and later introduces Duane as her new boyfriend.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Connie → Duane (Conflict Adversary) — Connie opposes Duane as the investigation escalates.

  Connie joins the other women in investigating Duane after his unexpectedly perfect appearance and in trying to separate the couple.

• Fran → Duane (Conflict Adversary) — Fran treats Duane as a suspicious obstacle to be exposed or removed.

  Fran participates in the group's investigation of Duane and in attempts to end his relationship with Wanda.

• Gwen → Duane (Conflict Adversary) — Gwen becomes opposed to Duane because of the group's growing suspicion.

  After Duane appears unexpectedly and seems too perfect, Gwen joins the investigation and the effort to break up the couple.

• Fran → Connie (Social Friend) — Fran and Connie cooperate as members of Wanda's friend group.

  Fran and Connie are among the women who challenge Wanda and later investigate the apparently perfect Duane together.

• Gwen → Connie (Social Friend) — Gwen and Connie share group loyalty and coordinated skepticism.

  Gwen and Connie participate together in the group discussion about Wanda's new boyfriend and the subsequent investigation.

• Gwen → Fran (Social Friend) — Gwen and Fran act together as close friends within the group.

  Gwen and Fran are both described as part of the three-woman group that confronts Wanda about her repeated romantic claims.

• Wanda → Connie (Social Friend) — Wanda and Connie belong to the same friendship circle.

  Connie is part of the group that listens to Wanda's announcement and challenges her to introduce Duane.

• Wanda → Fran (Social Friend) — Wanda and Fran share a skeptical but involved friendship.

  Wanda arrives while Fran is gathered with the other women at their favorite watering hole, and Fran participates in confronting Wanda about her relati...

• Wanda → Gwen (Social Friend) — Wanda and Gwen are members of the same close friendship group.

  The plot identifies Wanda as Gwen's friend and shows them gathering together at their favorite watering hole.

Story Analysis

A skeptical friendship group's attempt to expose Wanda's perfect boyfriend escalates into a threat to the surrounding world and universe.

Plot Progression

1. A Familiar Romantic Claim — Wanda joins Gwen, Fran, and Connie at their favorite watering hole and announces that she has fallen in love with a spectacular man. Because she has made similar claims before, her friends refuse to a...
2. The Dare For Proof — The women confront Wanda about her recurring pattern of choosing loser partners and question whether the new man even exists. Wanda becomes indignant but eventually promises to introduce him.
3. Duane Defies Expectations — Duane unexpectedly appears the next day and shocks the women by seeming far better than the men they expected Wanda to date. His apparent perfection changes their disbelief into suspicion.
4. Suspicion Warps Reality — The women investigate Duane as strange events begin to occur around them. Their growing frustration pushes them toward increasingly determined attempts to end the relationship.
5. The Universe Comes Undone — The effort to break up Wanda and Duane has consequences far beyond the couple. The world around the women, and possibly the entire universe, begins to unravel.