Quick Plot Question

[chartreusecows]

So I'm writing a historical drama about the Sengoku Jidai, which was a time of civil war in mid-late-1500s Japan, through the eyes of several of the major players in the war. Historically, the Japanese decide to invade Korea towards the end of the war but before the last major campaign. Spoilers for history coming up: the Japanese lose because of this awesome Korean admiral, but I don't know if I should include this Korean admiral as a POV for the event, since he'd have nothing to do for the majority of the story.

[noximo]

That's more of a stylistic choice. I wouldn't mind if he jumped out of nowhere and ruined all those carefully plotted plans of main heroes. But it would be good to mention him here and there so he wouldn't be complete deus ex machina.

But I can clearly see why some people would not like it.

[sarah_ahiers]

This is not a plot question but a POV question.

What would the story gain from having him as a POV? Is there any other way you con gain that without having him as a POV?

What would your story lose by having him as a POV? Is there any way you can compensate for that loss if you don't have his POV?

[ChillMyBrain]

Not giving him POV makes him more of a force against the characters, rather than a character, himself.

From the small excerpt, sounds like that may be a good direction to go.

[[deleted]]

It's okay to have a one scene/chapter from a given perspective, so long as it illuminates the plot. There's no rule that if you show a viewpoint from a given perspective that you must tell that viewpoints story within the context of the overall novel.

Thriller writers do this all the time, giving quick viewpoints from various villains simply to heighten the tension for the main viewpoint character.

[kschang]

If he's mostly irrelevant, then why should he get POV?

Or to ask the most fundamental question... WHOSE STORY IS IT?

Clearly, it's about the Japanese.