Impossible Things - Characters & Cast

Initially, her motivation is simply to survive her suffocating loneliness and fear. As her friendship with Miguel develops, her motivation shifts towards a desire to live and experience the world she has been denied. Ultimately, she is motivated by the fundamental human need for freedom and self-worth.

Matilde begins as a timid, fearful widow, completely dominated by the psychological ghost of her abusive husband. She is isolated and trapped in her past. Through her friendship with Miguel, she embarks on a quiet but profound journey of self-reclamation. She slowly gains confidence, experiences moments of joy, and learns to defy the voice of her internal oppressor. Her arc culminates in her finally standing up to Porfirio's memory, banishing him from her mind and stepping into a future she can define for herself.

Miguel is motivated by a deep-seated loneliness and a need for connection. He sees a kindred spirit in Matilde's isolation. His initial interactions may be transactional, but they quickly evolve into a genuine desire to help and protect her, filling a void in his own life.

Miguel starts as a seemingly typical disaffected youth—insecure, dealing drugs, and living a precarious day-to-day existence after being abandoned by his mother. His friendship with Matilde provides him with an anchor and a sense of purpose. In helping her, he also helps himself, finding a familial connection and a measure of stability that was missing in his life. He moves from being aimless and alone to being a supportive and crucial part of someone else's healing journey.

As a memory, his motivation is to maintain control over Matilde, perpetuating the cycle of abuse even after death. He seeks to keep her weak, isolated, and dependent on his validation, ensuring his psychological dominance continues.

Porfirio's character does not have a developmental arc in the present, as he is already deceased. He exists as a static, tormenting memory. His role is to represent the trauma that Matilde must overcome. The 'arc' belongs to Matilde's perception of him, as she moves from being terrified of his memory to being able to confront and ultimately dismiss it.