Desire.
What does your central character want? And how are they going to get it?
Ten Shun!
In a classic story, the protagonist almost always has a DESIRE they wish to fulfil, and will be proactive - sooner or later - in trying to achieve it.
This is what makes for an active, rather than a passive, protagonist.
A protagonist who does nothing and wants nothing is almost invariably a bore.
The desire does not even have to be that of the protagonist.
It just has to be in the picture, governing events.
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