Escalation of conflict. A reversal of fortune.

A good scene, a good story, a good script needs escalation. What is escalation? An increase in tension between what the character wants and his ability to get it. It can come from an increase in the stakes or jeopardy or finding out the character has less time. Jerónimo goes to tell his son that he needs to stand up to the school yard bully and as he does, Jerónimo is bullied by his own boss in from of his son. Now not only does he have to encourage his son to stand up for himself, but he himself has to stand up to his boss. The initial goal is replaced by an even bigger, more challenging goal for the hero. It can also be described as a reversal and it’s the juiciest element of drama. We can always revert to chisme, good chisme, for an example.
“You’re not going to believe it, but Hilda’s daughter is pregnant,”
“No me digas. The one who is so involved at the church?”
“Yes, that one. And it gets worse, the father is Hilda’s sister’s husband.”
“The doctor? Dios mio.”
“They met in the church choir. Can you believe that?”
“If her grandmother was alive, this would kill her.”
That’s escalation.