THE MOMENT THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

It goes by different names: Catalyst. Inciting Incident. Crossroads. The Call.

It's when the phone call comes, the letter arrives, there's a knock at the door. Something happens in the life of a character that forces them to make a choice: Go left or right. March forward or retreat. Change and grow or fade away.

In the movie Rudy, it's when Pete is killed in an explosion at work. In The Count of Monte Cristo, it is when Edmond is falsely accused and thrown into prison. In Star Wars, it's when Luke's aunt and uncle are murdered and his home destroyed.
This moment makes a story great because it's when the hero says, 'I'M ALL IN.' This moment touches all of us in some way because it mirrors real life. I could name a hundred of these moments that are happening all around me right now. What about you? What are some 'moments' that have happened to you or people you know?

(By the way, I love the feedback! I just haven't figured out how to comment on comments!)