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Short Fiction · Character

John Smith XVI

A hereditary president in a golden headdress, facing a masked rival across a blurred broadcast screen and discovering his script was written for a world that no longer exists.

major

Also known as John XVI, John, The seventh John Smith, Smith, John Smith, Smith XVI

First appearance: conditionally human

As a major figure in Short Fiction, John Smith XVI is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The President orchestrates a security probe and military buildup after a revealing conversation with the Red leader.
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John Smith XVI sits down to a historic broadcast with Ivan Ivanovitch, the masked chieftain of the Asian League, and finds his careful disarmament preamble met with a gutteral 'Why?' and an accusation of talking…

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Character Web

18 connections

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IIIvan IXTAThe AsianTPthe Peoplesfri…TMthe manMPMarie ParkerJSJohn Smith XVI

Relationship types

  • Rivalry
  • Other

Character groups

  • Royal and recurring identities
  • Central narrative figures
  • Expanded cast and entities

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

SetupBreaking pointAftermathClimax
  • Setup
  • Breaking point
  • Aftermath
  • Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because Lieutenant Laskell reaches an emotional and psychological peak of…

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Relationships

Relationship notes

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See John Smith XVI in conditionally human

In the story

John Smith XVI appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

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See John Smith XVI in conditionally human