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Okay, this probably a crazy question… but hear me out. 😉

In the climax of my novel I need three new side characters to show up just as backup and for fulfilling a story element. Two of them were introduced as mere bystanders a little bit earlier in the story and would also be the main characters of a possible sequel. None of the three new characters play a huge role in the climax (except for generally being more soldiers thus helping turn the tide of the battle), and I only want them to show up because of a really important theme in the novel of being able to call these special ‘backup people’. (That sounds really dumb, but I’m trying not to give too much away. XD)

SO my question is… do you think that adding three new characters in the climax, even though very minor ones, will weaken my story? Confuse my readers? Mix up the climax?