They want you to explain the importance of minor characters in a story.
I don't know if this will help you, but I'll explain using an Anime I have watched.
[Code Geass]
The character I'm going to use is, Nina Einstein:
She is a quite girl with average looks, brilliant in Physics and Chemistry, very smart, dislikes Japanese and is in love with a Princess from her country, as the story plays, she gets the least screen play, but develops into a key character throughout the whole story while still maintaining that minor character feel, she and her friends get taken as hostage in a Hotel jacking by a rebellious Japanese group, this is the starting point, as she gets picked on by a Japanese for calling him "an Eleven", the Princess known as Euphemia spares her by revealing herself to be a Princess and get taken instead of her, at this point is that she falls for her and her dislike towards Japanese grows bigger.
More plays out and due to unforeseen actions, Euphemia orders the execution of the Japanese and as a consequence she is killed by a Rebel Leader known as Zero, at this point, she cannot bare the loss and decides to avenge her by making a bomb that can kill Zero along with her and everyone else, this ends in failure, at that point she was insecure and suicidal, but it is later turned into a spur of Development for her, as she joins an Engineering Core.
She makes a weapon known as F.L.E.Y.A., a special warhead, a weapon designed to Destroy anything within its radius(without making any outwards force), her weapon kills thousands people in a collateral damage, this is what make another huge change in her. She then goes into hiding, she is later taken away by Zero(now Emperor of her country) and is requested to develop something that can counter attack the warhead, at this point the Emperor had declared war upon the world, his brother retaliates by revealing his new weapon "Sky Fortress Democles" which is armed with all the warheads they have developed, she succeeds in developing a counter-measure, She at this point has set aside her grudges with her past revealing that even still she may not find it to forgive him(Emperor/Zero), this is the first awakening as a Main Character with minor yet important positions.
I know it's not the best I can do, but perhaps you can understand it better with a brief story, Minor Characters are as important as their development allows them, some die off early and some traverse throughout the whole plot,, but in the end Minor Character plays roles that cause changes on Main Characters and other minor characters.
I hope this helps somewhat!
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I just got out of work and saw this thread and decided to do what I can and guess what?....it's for free.
