Emotions run very strong on many things, but I think betrayal is one of the hardest to overcome. There are many types of betrayal: to God, country, friends, spouse, and so on. What matters is that a confidence was broken, smashed, or ignored. It's a touchy subject, because it hurts so incredibly much when it happens to us (or even someone we know closely). To an author, then, this is a tactic to use sparingly. If you allow one character to betray another, realize that it's an act the audience won't forget. It's an effective method if you desire a villain to suddenly show themselves. Depending on how deeply the audience connects with the characters, it can leave a life-long impression.
Strong emotions also develop strong connections. Think about some of your very favorite stories, and now ask yourself if there was a key moment when a betrayal happened? Chances are, there is at least one, and the impact of the betrayal profoundly destroys trust. In the newest Avengers movie (Age of Ultron), Iron Man creates Ultron -- admittedly for a good reason -- and Ultron promptly betrays his creator. It's the crux of the entire movie. But, the betrayal the team feels isn't because of Ultron, but because Iron Man did it in secret in the first place (the betrayal actually extends beyond this story and on into the next several, as the Marvel Civil War is birthed by this specific event--yes, it was different in the comics, but the event remains the same).
Many times the betrayal will happen very late in the story, so the impact is far greater. When it's earlier, it's just a plot point and the audience understands and moves along. Still, the impact is obvious, as trust between the two parties is completely severed. Maybe the story is about redemption, and that would indeed be a long journey to travel. None of us trust easily, especially after that trust is broken by betrayal.
- M
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