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@fawxofthecomics

Like @ajaj200 touched on, motivations come from what a character values. They also come from the character’s fears—maybe fear for their life, of losing someone or something, or even of boredom. Few things shape a character as much as their fears do. Fears can cause them to act falsely. They can cause them to run away when they should have fought. They can cause them to say things they don’t mean.

Before you decide what Ian’s motivation is, think, what’s his greatest fear? What does he want the most? What does he love the most? If what he values most is his parents, maybe he’ll go looking for Jordan to make them happy. If his greatest desire is for his parents to be proud of him, maybe he goes to rescue Jordan to prove himself. If he fears boredom, maybe he goes just because he wants an adventure. Or maybe he goes because for some reason Jordan’s situation puts him, his parents, or someone/something else he cares about in danger. And again, the reason he goes doesn’t have to be an honorable motivation.

Think of Tom from The Great Brain. He did amazing things. He helped a new kid fit in at school. He encouraged someone who thought he was useless and showed him how he could be useful. He rescued people. But his motivations? They were always selfish. He only did something after he figured out what he could gain from it.

So take some time to analyze and develop his character, then dive deep into his heart and discover what drives him forward and what holds him back. And have fun! Creating characters and their motivations is one of my favorite parts of writing.