Years ago, I read a fantastic book named The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. In it, the author details the Hero’s Journey. This is a powerful story element. It illustrates a protagonist’s adventures, from a haven to the darkest dungeon—be it literal or figurative.

The Hero’s Journey is a story mechanic of the protagonist’s journey through the various acts of the story. Typically, there are four acts for each journey.

ACT I:

The Ordinary World

The story starts in the Ordinary World, a familiar place that could serve as a refuge or a prison for the hero. In this setting, the audience gets to know the hero’s everyday life, their skills, fears, weaknesses, and character traits.

The Call to Adventure

Conflict emerges from the Ordinary World, jolting the hero from their routine. This could be a major event like an assassination or a minor issue like a strange phone call. The hero must decide whether to tackle the conflict or stay in their current situation.

Refusal

At first, the hero may hesitate to leave the safety of the Ordinary World, weighing the risks and potential rewards. In some stories, however, the hero might skip this hesitation and dive straight into the quest, whether out of willingness or recklessness.

ACT II:

The Mentor

Crossing the Threshold

The mentor leads the hero from the Ordinary World to the first Threshold, marking the point of no return. This Threshold represents the gateway to a new realm, far removed from the Ordinary World.

Tests, Allies, and Enemies

In this world of mystery and danger, the hero delves deeper into the new adventure. The strange realm presents various challenges, allies, and enemies. Each obstacle reveals more about the hero’s personality and abilities, honing their skills and testing their endurance. The hero faces temptations, confronts inner struggles, and grapples with their shadow self.

ACT III:

Approach to the Dungeon/Inmost Cave

The hero prepares to enter the Inmost Cave. Setbacks occur, but the hero endures, priming for the Supreme Ordeal—an inner crisis that demands change from the protagonist. The hero must analyze personal flaws and push forward to complete the quest.

Supreme Ordeal

The protagonist faces a dangerous challenge, often against the antagonist. This antagonist can also be a dark reflection of a father figure, such as with Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, with exaggerated flaws of the protagonist. The Supreme Ordeal is a highlight of the hero’s quest, and everything is at stake. Our hero must draw upon all the experience from the journey to survive.

Reward, Seizing of the Sword

If the hero succeeds, s/he emerges as a changed person. The hero also receives an award as proof of victory; this might be a mythic sword, elixir, or artifact, signifying the change in the hero’s life. The hero now prepares for the last part of the quest.

ACT IV:

The Road Back

With the quest completed, the hero travels back to the ordinary world, which is the opposite of the call of adventure. Instead of worry or pain, fulfillment and satisfaction arise. The quest is not done, as the last challenge awaits the hero.

Resurrection

The hero faces a test or battle against the antagonist at the Final Threshold. This ultimate tribulation challenges the hero, requiring all the experience they’ve gained from their quest. Failure may result, leading to the hero’s death, a dearth of all hope, or even a severe injury that mars the hero.

The protagonist is reborn from the flames of demise, returning as a new person. Now cleansed of past flaws, the hero finishes the adventure.

Return with the Elixir

The adventurer returns to the Ordinary World as a changed person—physically, mentally, and spiritually. Using the reward from the Final Ordeal, s/he improves upon the Ordinary World. A new era of peace and reflection results. The prize may be multifaceted, manifesting either as a damsel in distress, a powerful relic, or a shift in the climate of the realms.  At this point, the hero finishes the journey, but things will never be as they once were.

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The Hero’s Journey occurs in every good fiction. It’s a retelling of human life, the growth of a person into a mature and wise individual. It is also a blueprint from which anyone can appreciate the heroic archetypes and make changes for a more prosperous, happier life.