I am aiming for an unlikeable protagonist. Means they have to be compelling, a good challenge.

Think “a clockwork orange” or “taxi driver” or “the social network” or even “night crawler” all unlikeable protagonists. I don’t like my character, but I can’t stop thinking about him.

I am not an expert in drug culture, so the drug and how it effects will come out in the research. The idea is a feeling of God-like superiority and a lack of sleep drives his mania that finally leads to his own death.

The original scenario he is fighting against happens anyway. So all the killing and what he loses is all for nothing. This, I hope, gives the audience a final smack of last minute empathy.