Make it so your main character has to make tough moral decisions that conflict with what they believe in. If you have a character who doesn’t believe in guns realize that the only way to solve the problem is with guns, you’ve got yourself a compelling character.
— scriptshadow.net
The reason this works is simple: belief is cheap until it costs something. A character who says they value honesty hasn't proven anything yet — we only learn what that belief is worth when lying would save someone they love. The gun example works because it forces action, not just words, to reveal character. Try it small: a peacemaker forced to fire someone, a trusting person forced to search a friend's bag. The conflict doesn't need explosions to cut deep. The caution is overuse — if every scene bends your character against their values, the values stop feeling real and start feeling like a plot device you keep spending. Let them win sometimes. Let belief hold. Otherwise the tough choice loses its weight, and so does the person making it.
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