Inevitability

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The third person POV allows for an omniscient narrator who would presumably know the outcome of a character's transformation or transition. Is there a cost in having the narrator state with certainty that the change will occur regardless of anything the character does? For example:

As Adam and Steve left to go home, neither one knew that this would be the last time they would see each other as boys.

or

Let me tell you the story of how a young man named Steve became a wife and mother. It all started...

The omniscient narrator eliminates surprise and suspense but it does give the reader assurance they're not wasting their time or that their expectations will not be satisfied. The reader knows exactly what they're getting into when they see that in the first paragraph or towards the beginning of the story.

In a defiant story, the reader is aware early on that despite the character's struggle against the change it is futile. Does this futility make the story more-or-less compelling? In my opinion, knowing the ending early in the story can be a guilty pleasure but the costs are too high which is why I haven't written such stories. However, in a balanced portfolio, perhaps there should be a few to balance things out.

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