Hello and welcome back to the blog, lovelies. Today we’re going to walk through The Hero’s Journey. Also called the Monomyth, this plot method was developed by Joseph Campbell, and if you need a refresher, you can visit my post about it The Hero’s Journey – Plot Theory.
In general, you can think of the Monomyth as a circular diagram. For our purposes, we will look at Star Wars: Episode IV, in which the Hero’s Journey was certainly used to create the tale. Fair warning. This will not be spoiler-free. Let’s dive in.
- Ordinary World. Luke wants to become a pilot and join the academy’s program, but he feels stuck on his uncle’s moisture farm.
- Call to Adventure. A princess from far away sends out a distress call, and Luke, hearing part of it, feels a desire to save her.
- Refusal of the Call. Luke still feels stuck on the farm. His everyday life is such that his aunt and uncle really need his help to keep the moisture farm running.
- Meeting the Mentor. Luke takes the distress message to Obi Wan Kenobi, who admits Luke’s own heritage, and gives Luke his father’s Lightsaber.
- Crossing the First Threshold. Luke’s aunt and uncle are killed, and Luke has no further attachment to his home planet. He and Obi Wan leave to find better transportation.
- Tests, Allies, and Enemies. Obi Wan and Luke meet up with and eventually hire pilots Han Solo and Chewbacca to transport them.
- Approach to the Innermost Cave. Obi Wan teaches Luke about the Force, but they are captured by the Empire’s Death Star.
- Ordeal. On the Death Star, the crew impersonates Stormtroopers in order to save the Princess Leia.
- Seizing the Reward. They successfully save the Princess, but it puts them in an even greater danger.
- Road Back. Obi Wan sacrifices himself in order to allow the rest of the group to escape. The Death Star follows them to the Rebel camp.
- Resurrection. Luke joins forces with the Rebels and uses the Force to make an impossible shot, exploding the Death Star and saving the Rebels.
- Return with the Elixir. The Empire’s power is destroyed, and the group are counted as heroes among the Rebels.
Think you’ve got it? What novels do you know of that follow the Hero’s Journey? Let me know in the comments below!
If you’re interested in other posts in this series, check them out:
