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The hero's journey: a story structure as old as time, the hero's journey offers a powerful framework for creating quest-based stories emphasizing self-transformation..

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Holding out for a hero to take your story to the next level? 

The Hero’s Journey might be just what you’ve been looking for. Created by Joseph Campbell, this narrative framework packs mythic storytelling into a series of steps across three acts, each representing a crucial phase in a character's transformative journey.

Challenge . Growth . Triumph .

Whether you're penning a novel, screenplay, or video game, The Hero’s Journey is a tried-and-tested blueprint for crafting epic stories that transcend time and culture. Let’s explore the steps together and kickstart your next masterpiece.

What is the Hero’s Journey?

The Hero’s Journey is a famous template for storytelling, mapping a hero's adventurous quest through trials and tribulations to ultimate transformation. 

What are the Origins of the Hero’s Journey?

The Hero’s Journey was invented by Campbell in his seminal 1949 work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces , where he introduces the concept of the "monomyth."

A comparative mythologist by trade, Campbell studied myths from cultures around the world and identified a common pattern in their narratives. He proposed that all mythic narratives are variations of a single, universal story, structured around a hero's adventure, trials, and eventual triumph.

His work unveiled the archetypal hero’s path as a mirror to humanity’s commonly shared experiences and aspirations. It was subsequently named one of the All-Time 100 Nonfiction Books by TIME in 2011.

How are the Hero’s and Heroine’s Journeys Different? 

While both the Hero's and Heroine's Journeys share the theme of transformation, they diverge in their focus and execution.

The Hero’s Journey, as outlined by Campbell, emphasizes external challenges and a quest for physical or metaphorical treasures. In contrast, Murdock's Heroine’s Journey, explores internal landscapes, focusing on personal reconciliation, emotional growth, and the path to self-actualization.

In short, heroes seek to conquer the world, while heroines seek to transform their own lives; but…

Twelve Steps of the Hero’s Journey

So influential was Campbell’s monomyth theory that it's been used as the basis for some of the largest franchises of our generation: The Lord of the Rings , Harry Potter ...and George Lucas even cited it as a direct influence on Star Wars .

There are, in fact, several variations of the Hero's Journey, which we discuss further below. But for this breakdown, we'll use the twelve-step version outlined by Christopher Vogler in his book, The Writer's Journey (seemingly now out of print, unfortunately).

You probably already know the above stories pretty well so we’ll unpack the twelve steps of the Hero's Journey using Ben Gates’ journey in National Treasure as a case study—because what is more heroic than saving the Declaration of Independence from a bunch of goons?

Ye be warned: Spoilers ahead!

Act One: Departure

Step 1. the ordinary world.

The journey begins with the status quo—business as usual. We meet the hero and are introduced to the Known World they live in. In other words, this is your exposition, the starting stuff that establishes the story to come.

National Treasure begins in media res (preceded only by a short prologue), where we are given key information that introduces us to Ben Gates' world, who he is (a historian from a notorious family), what he does (treasure hunts), and why he's doing it (restoring his family's name).

With the help of his main ally, Riley, and a crew of other treasure hunters backed by a wealthy patron, he finds an 18th-century American ship in the Canadian Arctic, the Charlotte . Here, they find a ship-shaped pipe that presents a new riddle and later doubles as a key—for now, it's just another clue in the search for the lost treasure of the Templars, one that leads them to the Declaration of Independence.

Step 2. The Call to Adventure

The inciting incident takes place and the hero is called to act upon it. While they're still firmly in the Known World, the story kicks off and leaves the hero feeling out of balance. In other words, they are placed at a crossroads.

Ian (the wealthy patron of the Charlotte operation) steals the pipe from Ben and Riley and leaves them stranded. This is a key moment: Ian becomes the villain, Ben has now sufficiently lost his funding for this expedition, and if he decides to pursue the chase, he'll be up against extreme odds.

Step 3. Refusal of the Call

The hero hesitates and instead refuses their call to action. Following the call would mean making a conscious decision to break away from the status quo. Ahead lies danger, risk, and the unknown; but here and now, the hero is still in the safety and comfort of what they know.

Ben debates continuing the hunt for the Templar treasure. Before taking any action, he decides to try and warn the authorities: the FBI, Homeland Security, and the staff of the National Archives, where the Declaration of Independence is housed and monitored. Nobody will listen to him, and his family's notoriety doesn't help matters.

Step 4. Meeting the Mentor

The protagonist receives knowledge or motivation from a powerful or influential figure. This is a tactical move on the hero's part—remember that it was only the previous step in which they debated whether or not to jump headfirst into the unknown. By Meeting the Mentor, they can gain new information or insight, and better equip themselves for the journey they might to embark on.

Abigail, an archivist at the National Archives, brushes Ben and Riley off as being crazy, but Ben uses the interaction to his advantage in other ways—to seek out information about how the Declaration of Independence is stored and cared for, as well as what (and more importantly, who) else he might be up against in his own attempt to steal it.

In a key scene, we see him contemplate the entire operation while standing over the glass-encased Declaration of Independence. Finally, he firmly decides to pursue the treasure and stop Ian, uttering the famous line, "I'm gonna steal the Declaration of Independence."

Act Two: Initiation

Step 5. crossing the threshold.

The hero leaves the Known World to face the Unknown World. They are fully committed to the journey, with no way to turn back now. There may be a confrontation of some sort, and the stakes will be raised.

Ben and Riley infiltrate the National Archives during a gala and successfully steal the Declaration of Independence. But wait—it's not so easy. While stealing the Declaration of Independence, Abigail suspects something is up and Ben faces off against Ian.

Then, when trying to escape the building, Ben exits through the gift shop, where an attendant spots the document peeking out of his jacket. He is forced to pay for it, feigning that it's a replica—and because he doesn't have enough cash, he has to use his credit card, so there goes keeping his identity anonymous.

The game is afoot.

Step 6. Tests, Allies, Enemies

The hero explores the Unknown World. Now that they have firmly crossed the threshold from the Known World, the hero will face new challenges and possibly meet new enemies. They'll have to call upon their allies, new and old, in order to keep moving forward.

Abigail reluctantly joins the team under the agreement that she'll help handle the Declaration of Independence, given her background in document archiving and restoration. Ben and co. seek the aid of Ben's father, Patrick Gates, whom Ben has a strained relationship with thanks to years of failed treasure hunting that has created a rift between grandfather, father, and son. Finally, they travel around Philadelphia deciphering clues while avoiding both Ian and the FBI.

Step 7. Approach the Innermost Cave

The hero nears the goal of their quest, the reason they crossed the threshold in the first place. Here, they could be making plans, having new revelations, or gaining new skills. To put it in other familiar terms, this step would mark the moment just before the story's climax.

Ben uncovers a pivotal clue—or rather, he finds an essential item—a pair of bifocals with interchangeable lenses made by Benjamin Franklin. It is revealed that by switching through the various lenses, different messages will be revealed on the back of the Declaration of Independence. He's forced to split from Abigail and Riley, but Ben has never been closer to the treasure.

Step 8. The Ordeal

The hero faces a dire situation that changes how they view the world. All threads of the story come together at this pinnacle, the central crisis from which the hero will emerge unscathed or otherwise. The stakes will be at their absolute highest here.

Vogler details that in this stage, the hero will experience a "death," though it need not be literal. In your story, this could signify the end of something and the beginning of another, which could itself be figurative or literal. For example, a certain relationship could come to an end, or it could mean someone "stuck in their ways" opens up to a new perspective.

In National Treasure , The FBI captures Ben and Ian makes off with the Declaration of Independence—all hope feels lost. To add to it, Ian reveals that he's kidnapped Ben's father and threatens to take further action if Ben doesn't help solve the final clues and lead Ian to the treasure.

Ben escapes the FBI with Ian's help, reunites with Abigail and Riley, and leads everyone to an underground structure built below Trinity Church in New York City. Here, they manage to split from Ian once more, sending him on a goose chase to Boston with a false clue, and proceed further into the underground structure.

Though they haven't found the treasure just yet, being this far into the hunt proves to Ben's father, Patrick, that it's real enough. The two men share an emotional moment that validates what their family has been trying to do for generations.

Step 9. Reward

This is it, the moment the hero has been waiting for. They've survived "death," weathered the crisis of The Ordeal, and earned the Reward for which they went on this journey.

Now, free of Ian's clutches and with some light clue-solving, Ben, Abigail, Riley, and Patrick keep progressing through the underground structure and eventually find the Templar's treasure—it's real and more massive than they could have imagined. Everyone revels in their discovery while simultaneously looking for a way back out.

Act Three: Return

Step 10. the road back.

It's time for the journey to head towards its conclusion. The hero begins their return to the Known World and may face unexpected challenges. Whatever happens, the "why" remains paramount here (i.e. why the hero ultimately chose to embark on their journey).

This step marks a final turning point where they'll have to take action or make a decision to keep moving forward and be "reborn" back into the Known World.

Act Three of National Treasure is admittedly quite short. After finding the treasure, Ben and co. emerge from underground to face the FBI once more. Not much of a road to travel back here so much as a tunnel to scale in a crypt.

Step 11. Resurrection

The hero faces their ultimate challenge and emerges victorious, but forever changed. This step often requires a sacrifice of some sort, and having stepped into the role of The Hero™, they must answer to this.

Ben is given an ultimatum— somebody has to go to jail (on account of the whole stealing-the-Declaration-of-Independence thing). But, Ben also found a treasure worth millions of dollars and that has great value to several nations around the world, so that counts for something.

Ultimately, Ben sells Ian out, makes a deal to exonerate his friends and family, and willingly hands the treasure over to the authorities. Remember: he wanted to find the treasure, but his "why" was to restore the Gates family name, so he won regardless.

Step 12. Return With the Elixir

Finally, the hero returns home as a new version of themself, the elixir is shared amongst the people, and the journey is completed full circle.

The elixir, like many other elements of the hero's journey, can be literal or figurative. It can be a tangible thing, such as an actual elixir meant for some specific purpose, or it could be represented by an abstract concept such as hope, wisdom, or love.

Vogler notes that if the Hero's Journey results in a tragedy, the elixir can instead have an effect external to the story—meaning that it could be something meant to affect the audience and/or increase their awareness of the world.

In the final scene of National Treasure , we see Ben and Abigail walking the grounds of a massive estate. Riley pulls up in a fancy sports car and comments on how they could have gotten more money. They all chat about attending a museum exhibit in Cairo (Egypt).

In one scene, we're given a lot of closure: Ben and co. received a hefty payout for finding the treasure, Ben and Abigail are a couple now, and the treasure was rightfully spread to those it benefitted most—in this case, countries who were able to reunite with significant pieces of their history. Everyone's happy, none of them went to jail despite the serious crimes committed, and they're all a whole lot wealthier. Oh, Hollywood.

Variations of the Hero's Journey

Plot structure is important, but you don't need to follow it exactly; and, in fact, your story probably won't. Your version of the Hero's Journey might require more or fewer steps, or you might simply go off the beaten path for a few steps—and that's okay!

What follows are three additional versions of the Hero's Journey, which you may be more familiar with than Vogler's version presented above.

Dan Harmon's Story Circle (or, The Eight-Step Hero's Journey)

Screenwriter Dan Harmon has riffed on the Hero's Journey by creating a more compact version, the Story Circle —and it works especially well for shorter-format stories such as television episodes, which happens to be what Harmon writes.

The Story Circle comprises eight simple steps with a heavy emphasis on the hero's character arc:

• The hero is in a zone of comfort...
• But they want something.
• They enter an unfamiliar situation...
• And adapt to it by facing trials.
• They get what they want...
• But they pay a heavy price for it.
• They return to their familiar situation...
• Having changed.

You may have noticed, but there is a sort of rhythm here. The eight steps work well in four pairs, simplifying the core of the Hero's Journey even further:

• The hero is in a zone of comfort, but they want something.
• They enter an unfamiliar situation and have to adapt via new trials.
• They get what they want, but they pay a price for it.
• They return to their zone of comfort, forever changed.

If you're writing shorter fiction, such as a short story or novella, definitely check out the Story Circle. It's the Hero's Journey minus all the extraneous bells & whistles.

Ten-Step Hero's Journey

The ten-step Hero's Journey is similar to the twelve-step version we presented above. It includes most of the same steps except for Refusal of the Call and Meeting the Mentor, arguing that these steps aren't as essential to include; and, it moves Crossing the Threshold to the end of Act One and Reward to the end of Act Two.

• The Ordinary World
• The Call to Adventure
• Crossing the Threshold
• Tests, Allies, Enemies
• Approach the Innermost Cave
• The Road Back
• Resurrection
• Return with Elixir

We've previously written about the ten-step hero's journey in a series of essays separated by act: Act One (with a prologue), Act Two , and Act Three .

Twelve-Step Hero's Journey: Version Two

Again, the second version of the twelve-step hero's journey is very similar to the one above, save for a few changes, including in which story act certain steps appear.

This version skips The Ordinary World exposition and starts right at The Call to Adventure; then, the story ends with two new steps in place of Return With Elixir: The Return and The Freedom to Live.

• The Refusal of the Call
• Meeting the Mentor
• Test, Allies, Enemies
• Approaching the Innermost Cave
• The Resurrection
• The Return*
• The Freedom to Live*

In the final act of this version, there is more of a focus on an internal transformation for the hero. They experience a metamorphosis on their journey back to the Known World, return home changed, and go on to live a new life, uninhibited.

Seventeen-Step Hero's Journey

Finally, the granddaddy of heroic journeys: the seventeen-step Hero's Journey. This version includes a slew of extra steps your hero might face out in the expanse.

• Refusal of the Call
• Supernatural Aid (aka Meeting the Mentor)
• Belly of the Whale*: This added stage marks the hero's immediate descent into danger once they've crossed the threshold.
• Road of Trials (...with Allies, Tests, and Enemies)
• Meeting with the Goddess/God*: In this stage, the hero meets with a new advisor or powerful figure, who equips them with the knowledge or insight needed to keep progressing forward.
• Woman as Temptress (or simply, Temptation)*: Here, the hero is tempted, against their better judgment, to question themselves and their reason for being on the journey. They may feel insecure about something specific or have an exposed weakness that momentarily holds them back.
• Atonement with the Father (or, Catharthis)*: The hero faces their Temptation and moves beyond it, shedding free from all that holds them back.
• Apotheosis (aka The Ordeal)
• The Ultimate Boon (aka the Reward)
• Refusal of the Return*: The hero wonders if they even want to go back to their old life now that they've been forever changed.
• The Magic Flight*: Having decided to return to the Known World, the hero needs to actually find a way back.
• Rescue From Without*: Allies may come to the hero's rescue, helping them escape this bold, new world and return home.
• Crossing of the Return Threshold (aka The Return)
• Master of Two Worlds*: Very closely resembling The Resurrection stage in other variations, this stage signifies that the hero is quite literally a master of two worlds—The Known World and the Unknown World—having conquered each.
• Freedom to Live

Again, we skip the Ordinary World opening here. Additionally, Acts Two and Three look pretty different from what we've seen so far, although, the bones of the Hero's Journey structure remain.

The Eight Hero’s Journey Archetypes

The Hero is, understandably, the cornerstone of the Hero’s Journey, but they’re just one of eight key archetypes that make up this narrative framework.

In The Writer's Journey , Vogler outlined seven of these archetypes, only excluding the Ally, which we've included below. Here’s a breakdown of all eight with examples: 

1. The Hero

As outlined, the Hero is the protagonist who embarks on a transformative quest or journey. The challenges they overcome represent universal human struggles and triumphs. 

Vogler assigned a "primary function" to each archetype—helpful for establishing their role in a story. The Hero's primary function is "to service and sacrifice."

Example: Neo from The Matrix , who evolves from a regular individual into the prophesied savior of humanity.

2. The Mentor

A wise guide offering knowledge, tools, and advice, Mentors help the Hero navigate the journey and discover their potential. Their primary function is "to guide."

Example: Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid imparts not only martial arts skills but invaluable life lessons to Daniel.

3. The Ally

Companions who support the Hero, Allies provide assistance, friendship, and moral support throughout the journey. They may also become a friends-to-lovers romantic partner. 

Not included in Vogler's list is the Ally, though we'd argue they are essential nonetheless. Let's say their primary function is "to aid and support."

Example: Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings , a loyal friend and steadfast supporter of Frodo.

4. The Herald

The Herald acts as a catalyst to initiate the Hero's Journey, often presenting a challenge or calling the hero to adventure. Their primary function is "to warn or challenge."

Example: Effie Trinket from The Hunger Games , whose selection at the Reaping sets Katniss’s journey into motion.

5. The Trickster

A character who brings humor and unpredictability, challenges conventions, and offers alternative perspectives or solutions. Their primary function is "to disrupt."

Example: Loki from Norse mythology exemplifies the trickster, with his cunning and chaotic influence.

6. The Shapeshifter

Ambiguous figures whose allegiance and intentions are uncertain. They may be a friend one moment and a foe the next. Their primary function is "to question and deceive."

Example: Catwoman from the Batman universe often blurs the line between ally and adversary, slinking between both roles with glee.

7. The Guardian

Protectors of important thresholds, Guardians challenge or test the Hero, serving as obstacles to overcome or lessons to be learned. Their primary function is "to test."

Example: The Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail literally bellows “None shall pass!”—a quintessential ( but not very effective ) Guardian.

8. The Shadow

Represents the Hero's inner conflict or an antagonist, often embodying the darker aspects of the hero or their opposition. Their primary function is "to destroy."

Example: Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender; initially an adversary, his journey parallels the Hero’s path of transformation.

While your story does not have to use all of the archetypes, they can help you develop your characters and visualize how they interact with one another—especially the Hero.

For example, take your hero and place them in the center of a blank worksheet, then write down your other major characters in a circle around them and determine who best fits into which archetype. Who challenges your hero? Who tricks them? Who guides them? And so on...

Stories that Use the Hero’s Journey

Not a fan of saving the Declaration of Independence? Check out these alternative examples of the Hero’s Journey to get inspired: 

• Epic of Gilgamesh : An ancient Mesopotamian epic poem thought to be one of the earliest examples of the Hero’s Journey (and one of the oldest recorded stories).
• The Lion King (1994): Simba's exile and return depict a tale of growth, responsibility, and reclaiming his rightful place as king.
• The Alchemist by Paolo Coehlo: Santiago's quest for treasure transforms into a journey of self-discovery and personal enlightenment.
• Coraline by Neil Gaiman: A young girl's adventure in a parallel world teaches her about courage, family, and appreciating her own reality.
• Kung Fu Panda (2008): Po's transformation from a clumsy panda to a skilled warrior perfectly exemplifies the Hero's Journey. Skadoosh!

The Hero's Journey is so generalized that it's ubiquitous. You can plop the plot of just about any quest-style narrative into its framework and say that the story follows the Hero's Journey. Try it out for yourself as an exercise in getting familiar with the method.

Will the Hero's Journey Work For You?

As renowned as it is, the Hero's Journey works best for the kinds of tales that inspired it: mythic stories.

Writers of speculative fiction may gravitate towards this method over others, especially those writing epic fantasy and science fiction (big, bold fantasy quests and grand space operas come to mind).

The stories we tell today are vast and varied, and they stretch far beyond the dealings of deities, saving kingdoms, or acquiring some fabled "elixir." While that may have worked for Gilgamesh a few thousand years ago, it's not always representative of our lived experiences here and now.

If you decide to give the Hero's Journey a go, we encourage you to make it your own! The pieces of your plot don't have to neatly fit into the structure, but you can certainly make a strong start on mapping out your story.

Hero's Journey Campfire Template

The Timeline Module in Campfire offers a versatile canvas to plot out each basic component of your story while featuring nested "notebooks."

Simply double-click on each event card in your timeline to open up a canvas specific to that card. This allows you to look at your plot at the highest level, while also adding as much detail for each plot element as needed!

If you're just hearing about Campfire for the first time, it's free to sign up—forever! Let's plot the most epic of hero's journeys 👇

Lessons From the Hero’s Journey

The Hero's Journey offers a powerful framework for creating stories centered around growth, adventure, and transformation.

If you want to develop compelling characters, spin out engaging plots, and write books that express themes of valor and courage, consider The Hero’s Journey your blueprint. So stop holding out for a hero, and start writing!

Does your story mirror the Hero's Journey? Let us know in the comments below.

The Eight Character Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey

Classic trickster.

In The Hero of a Thousand Faces , Joseph Campbell demonstrated that many of the most popular stories, even over thousands of years and across cultures, shared a specific formula. That formula is now commonly referred to as mythic structure, or the hero’s journey . Even if you’ve never heard of it before, you’ve consumed this “ monomyth ” in works like Star Wars and Harry Potter.

Along with a specific plot structure, the hero’s journey has a repeating cast of characters, known as character archetypes. An archetype doesn’t specify a character’s age, race, or gender. In fact, it’s best to avoid stereotyping by steering clear of the demographics people associate with them. What archetypes really do is tell us the role a character plays in the story. Thinking about your characters in terms of their archetype will allow you to see whether they’re pulling their weight, or if they’re useless extras.

There are many way to categorize the cast of the hero’s journey, but most central characters fall into one of these eight roles:

The hero is the audience’s personal tour guide on the adventure that is the story. It’s critical that the audience can relate to them, because they experience the story through their eyes. During the journey, the hero will leave the world they are familiar with and enter a new one. This new world will be so different that whatever skills the hero used previously will no longer be sufficient. Together, the hero and the audience will master the rules of the new world, and save the day.

J is the heroic tour guide in Men in Black . A cop at the top of his beat, he is suddenly taken behind the masquerade of everyday life. Waiting for him is a world where aliens are hiding among everyday people, and a galaxy can be as small as a marble. While he’s still a cop in essence, his adversaries – and the tools he must wield against them – are nothing like he’s previously known.

Other heroes: any protagonist fits the hero role. Some heroes from stories that stick closely to the hero’s journey are Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, Alice from Alice in Wonderland, and Luke Skywalker from Star Wars.

The hero has to learn how to survive in the new world incredibly fast, so the mentor appears to give them a fighting chance. This mentor will describe how the new world operates, and instruct the hero in using any innate abilities they possess. The mentor will also gift the hero with equipment, because a level one hero never has any decent weapons or armor.

Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz appears soon after Dorothy enters Oz. She describes where Dorothy is, and explains that she’s just killed the Wicked Witch of the East. Then, before the Wicked Witch of the West can claim the ruby slippers, Glinda gifts them to the hero instead.

Often, the mentor will perform another important task – getting the plot moving. Heros can be reluctant to leave the world they know for one they don’t. Glinda tells Dorothy to seek the Wizard, and shows her the yellow brick road.

Once the hero is on the right path and has what they need to survive, the mentor disappears. Heroes must fight without their help.

Other mentors: Morpheus from the Matrix, Dumbledore from Harry Potter, and Tia Dalma from Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3.

The hero will have some great challenges ahead; too great for one person to face them alone. They’ll need someone to distract the guards, hack into the mainframe, or carry their gear. Plus, the journey could get a little dull without another character to interact with.

Like many allies, Samwise looks up to Frodo in The Lord of the Rings . He starts the story as a gardener, joining the group almost by accident. He feels it’s his job to keep Frodo safe. But not all allies start that way. They can be more like Han Solo, disagreeable at first, then friendly once the hero earns their respect. Either way, the loyalty and admiration allies have for the hero tells the audience that they are worthy of the trials ahead.

Other allies: Robin from Batman, Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter, and the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz.

The herald appears near the beginning to announce the need for change in the hero’s life. They are the catalyst that sets the whole adventure in motion. While they often bring news of a threat in a distant land, they can also simply show a dissatisfied hero a tempting glimpse of a new life. Occasionally they single the hero out, picking them for a journey they wouldn’t otherwise take.

The great boar demon that appears at the beginning of Princess Mononoke is a herald bearing the scars of a faraway war. Ashitaka defeats him, but not without receiving a mark that sends him into banishment. This gets the hero moving and foreshadows the challenges he will face.

Heralds that do not fill another role will appear only briefly. Often, the herald isn’t a character at all, but a letter or invitation.

Other heralds: Effie from the Hunger Games, R2D2 from Star Wars, and the invitation to the ball in Cinderella.

5. Trickster

The trickster adds fun and humor to the story. When times are gloomy or emotionally tense, the trickster gives the audience a welcome break. Often, the trickster has another job: challenging the status quo. A good trickster offers an outside perspective and opens up important questions. They’re also great for lampshading the story or the actions of the other characters.

Dobby from Harry Potter is an ideal trickster. He means well, but his efforts to help Harry Potter do more harm than good. And every time he appears in person, his behavior is ridiculous. However, underlying the humorous exterior is a serious issue – Dobby is a slave, and he wants to be free of his masters.

Other tricksters: Luna Lovegood (also from Harry Potter), Crewman #6 from Galaxy Quest, and Merry and Pippin from LoTR.

6. Shapeshifter

The shapeshifter blurs the line between ally and enemy. Often they begin as an ally, then betray the hero at a critical moment. Other times, their loyalty is in question as they waver back and forth. Regardless, they provide a tantalizing combination of appeal and possible danger. Shapeshifters benefit stories by creating interesting relationships among the characters, and by adding tension to scenes filled with allies.

Dr. Elsa Schneider, from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , is a very effective shapeshifter. Even after she reveals she is working for the enemy, she and the hero still have feelings for each other. She allows him to steal an item back without getting caught, and he allows her to discover the McGuffin with him. But the distrust between them remains.

Other shapeshifters: Gollum from LoTR, Catwoman from Batman, and Gilderoy Lockhart from Harry Potter.

7. Guardian

The guardian, or threshold guardian, tests the hero before they face great challenges. They can appear at any stage of the story, but they always block an entrance or border of some kind. Their message to the hero is clear: “go home and forget your quest.” They also have a message for the audience: “this way lies danger.” Then the hero must prove their worth by answering a riddle, sneaking past, or defeating the guardian in combat.

The Wall Guard in Stardust is as classic as guardians get. He stands alone at a broken section of stone wall between real world England and the fairy realm of Stormhold. The guard is friendly when Tristan tries to pass into the fairy realm to start his adventure, but he carries a big stick and he’s not afraid to use it.

Other guardians: The Doorknob from Alice in Wonderland, the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Heimdall from Thor.

Shadows are villains in the story. They exist to create threat and conflict, and to give the hero something to struggle against. Like many of the other archetypes, shadows do not have to be characters specifically – the dark side of the force is just as much a shadow for Luke as Darth Vader is.

The shadow is especially effective if it mirrors the hero in some way. It shows the audience the twisted person the hero could become if they head down the wrong path, and highlights the hero’s internal struggle. This, in turn, makes the hero’s success more meaningful. The reveal that Darth Vader is Luke’s father, right after Luke had ignored Yoda’s advice, makes the dark side feel more threatening.

Other shadows: Voldemort from Harry Potter, Sauron from LoTR, and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.

It’s unusual for stories to have exactly one character per archetype. Because archetypes are simply roles a character can take, Obi Won and Yoda can both be mentors, J can be a hero and a trickster, and Effie Trinket can be first a herald, then later an ally. While you shouldn’t rush to add archetypes that are missing, any character that fits more than one is probably important to the story. If you have a character that doesn’t fit any, make sure they are strengthening, and not detracting from, your plot.

Learn More About These Archetypes

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Comments on The Eight Character Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey

Thanks for this great guide!!

Thank you, very informative. Gives a better understanding on how to create a story and “important” NPCs.

Like your name. :)

I like your name

I have a question. In Disney’s/ABC’s Once Upon a Time would you consider Rumplestiltskin/The Dark One to be a Trickster or a Shapeshifter? He’s not a ‘true’ villain though the writer’s class him as a villain. He’s way too complicated to just be a villain!!! He does evil things, bad things, neutral things and sometimes good things, but he keeps changing back and forth. He has the ability to love (his son and his wife Belle) but he ALWAYS puts power above them (it’s more important to him than his son or wife). I always thought of him as ‘the Trickster’ but when I read your description of the Shapeshifter it started me thinking again! hmmmmmm

I haven’t watched enough Once Upon a Time to tell you for sure based on my personal knowledge of Rumplestiltskin, but if he is often working together with the good guys but is liable to betray them or do other bad things, he’s probably a shapeshifter. Tricksters almost always provide comic relief. In the few episodes I watched, it did not look like Rumplestiltskin was a comical character.

However, because the archetypes are roles, characters can have more than one or change what they are. It sounds like sometimes when he is doing especially bad things, he might be a Shadow temporarily.

Shapeshifter

Dianne its a very good question but its really what you think he is.he is apart of many difrent grous and some arnt on this site . The most common thing ppl think he is is a villan but it really isnt like that at all but its up to you. hope i help . sincerely wesh

Would I be right in saying that Magneto in X-Men would be considered a shapeshifter?

Based on my very crude knowledge of X-Men, Magneto is mostly a shadow. Like a good shadow, he is a dark reflection of Professor X. However, he also takes on the role of shapeshifter during their temporary alliances.

No no, the shapeshifter is Mystique. ;)

HA! Good one :D

She can turn into other people, too, so, in literal sense, she is one. I think Chris was talking figuratively.

You’re Welcome!!!!!!!!!!

Msytique es da best chicka in da world mahhh boi

dont do drugs kids

bahahahahah

The description of the shadow is a little misleading. He is not the antagonist, and not evil. He mirrors the side of the hero that he/she is not aware of, but must acknowledge in order to continue and be sucessful on his/her journey.

The Star Wars example with the cave sets it: Yes, Darth Vader is evil (he is antagonist and shadow all in one), but he is also Lukes father. Therefore, he wasn´t always evil. Luke knows this.

A great example for a shadow in film are the two girls in American Beauty. Angela is Janes Shadow. She represents everything that Jane must leave behind in order to get on with her life, find her destiny etc. But Angela is not evil. She is a rather normal teenager. She is Janes friend.

Interesting approach :) (I’m not being ironic)

Usually, shadows are antagonists.

I’m not super familiar with American Beauty, so I could be totally wrong on this, but it sounds like the character dynamic you are describing is the use of a foil. A foil is character who starkly contrasts with attributes of a character (nearly always the main character) in order to highlight certain attributes of a character.

The Shadow is most definitely the opposing force in a literary work. It is true that the shadow – when it is a character – is most effective if it is also a foil of the protagonist as this helps to illustrate how the hero’s conflict is as much internal as external, but existing expressly to mirror the hero in some way is not a defining feature of the shadow.

The villain of American Beauty is societal pressure to be “normal” and the havoc it wreaks on people who are unique and special.

All the characters in the movie in some way rebel against that pressure, some prevail and others are destroyed.

It would be interesting to think up ways to realign quest stories to make different figures the protagonist. Like, say, in the Matrix, they really had me going that Neo wasn’t the one – I thought it would turn out to be Morpheus. Which would mean we were seeing Morpheus’s Hero journey through the eyes of one of his last Guardians (the obstacle preventing Morpheus seeing the Hero he sought was himself).

That would have been really cool. Nobody thinks of themselves as the hero (no competent person anyway). And it would fit perfectly with the Oracle telling Trinity that she would love The One, because love can also be fraternal.

I have only a secondary knowledge of Science Fiction and mythical creatures, gleaned from sitting with my husband and son when they watch shows in the same room with me. I found your page very informative, interesting, and helpful so that I may understand what I am watching Sci-Fi shows or shows about mythology with my family. Thank you.

Thanks for this article! I am actually a sculptor building a portfolio for character modeling. I was told by an industry recruiter to include different archetypes. For the longest time I only vaguely knew what he meant until I read your post. Currently reading the recommended book – excellent by the way! – which I see is the industry bible on this subject. I now have a much clearer picture on what direction to take my work! I also am now starting to see the types as I watch and read things. Great article :-)

I actually feel like Snape is a better example of the shapeshifter than Lockhart.

Good point. He’s always portrayed as evil … up until the end, when you see he was on the other side the whole time.

Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender seems to be a perfect shapeshifter to me.

Yes. The most common form of the shapeshifter is one who begins as Ally and betrays the hero, but a character taking the inverse course of action is also an example of a shapeshifter. What defines the shapeshifter is that there is at least a key moment where the audience is left to wonder for themselves if the character is friend or foe. Zuko is also a wonderfully written character who undergoes a Heroes quest of his own with Iroh serving as his mentor and Azula taking on the role of shadow. He can be viewed as many roles in series depending on which part of the series you are thinking about.

Sir Didimus (sp?) from Labyrinth would be a penultimate Guardian.

Welcome to the Mythcreants comment section, Jemma Caffyn!

p.s. You have the same name as my favorite scientist (a made-up spec fic scientist, of course)

what about a villian that goes from bad to good?

Unless somehow showing up as the shadow, redeemed villains are not part of Joseph Campbell’s monomyth. The overwhelming majority of myths and stories written before the romantic period had clear villains and heroes. Nietschze explained this by saying that all myths are morality tales; if people believe that there is a definite good and evil then it will be easier for them to accept anything their leaders do so long as their is a greater enemy. It is no coincidence that so many mythical heroes are of noble birth. It has even be argued that morally ambiguous characters are a feature of democracy ( https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/03/whats-so-american-about-john-miltons-lucifer/519624/ ).

If you are interested in redeemed villains, this blog has an article and a podcast about them: https://mythcreants.com/blog/creating-your-villains-journey/ https://mythcreants.com/blog/122-redeeming-a-villain/

Can the Drayo State feasibly be attained by a character who doesn’t just confront his or her shadow but cannibalises it and therefore digests the darker side of his or her own nature? Asking for a friend.

Well, first of all, what is the “Drayo State”?

Fantastically useful site & not just for sf & fantasy writers. I’ve learned such a lot. Thanks!

i agree, very useful.

Thanks for helping me do my homework!

Archetypes are kind of like personas in life in general.

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The Approach to the Inmost Cave: How to Write This Scene in the Hero’s Journey

by David Safford | 0 comments

Every great heroic story has that moment. It's the deep breath before the plunge. The quiet before the calamity. If you're writing a Hero's Journey story, you'll want to include this moment, too: the Approach and Ordeal. Or, the Approach to the Inmost Cave.

The Approach and Ordeal are essential moments you need to plan for as you draft your story. And to do it right, you're going to need to figure out three key elements:

• Your Story's Shadow
• The Task to Complete

Let's explore each of these and talk about how they will take your story from “Meh” to “Amazing!”

Step 7: Approach to the Inmost Cave

This step can take many shapes depending on the story's genre and world. However, no matter where your story takes place, this definition applies:

The Approach is a moment of nervous contemplation before the massive Ordeal the hero must face. It is often a moment of final preparation, confession of secrets and fears, and abandonment by uncommitted companions, leaving the hero uncertain and isolated.

If you're outlining the Approach to the Inmost Cave scene for your story, you  must  keep the Ordeal, or the Climax, in mind. They are two halves of the whole, and one must keep both in mind when planning. However, in order to plan, you need to also understand the purpose of each (and how they work together).

For today, let's focus on the Approach to the Inmost Cave. And if you'd like to learn more about the Ordeal than what's discussed in this article, read about the Ordeal here .

How Did We Get Here?

As a quick refresher, the Hero's Journey is a storytelling theory by Joseph Campbell.

Refined by Christopher Vogler into a convenient twelve-step process, the Hero's Journey begins when the hero starts humbly ( Ordinary World ) and then experiences a Call to Adventure. The hero refuses that call, and finds themself encouraged and trained by a Mentor .

Next, through a combination of will and force, the hero steps over the boundary between safety and danger, the Threshold , and begins their journey in a world of Trials, Allies, and Enemies .

This usually brings you about two-thirds of the way through your story, up to the moment you've been waiting for: the Climax.

But before every Climax, a story needs an Approach to the Inmost Cave moment.

Step #7: Approach to the Inmost Cave

Before every climactic action scene is a deep breath. Sometimes portrayed as beginning with a montage or training scene, this scene is the moment when the Hero pauses, considers all that is at Stake in order to defeat the Shadow , and then soldiers onward.

This, in Christopher Vogler's words, is called the “Approach to the Inmost Cave.”

This moment is essential, and captures the universal human emotion of fear. All heroes experience some kind of fear, whether it's fear of death, failure, or the unknown. But before any great campaign against evil, there must be an Approach.

And with an Approach, comes a Hero's Ordeal (step eight in the Hero's Journey).

The Ordeal is the scene when your hero must complete a deadly task, putting everything that's at stake on the line, and ultimately confront the Shadow. This moment is the eighth step in the Hero's Journey, and comes directly after the Approach to the Inmost Cave.

Before this moment, though, you need a scene where the hero approaches  the awaiting, climatic feat.

If you want to increase the tension and raise stakes in the Climax, you first need to write a scene that creates that calm before the storm. To do this, you need an Approach to the Inmost Cave scene that upholds three core elements.

3 Core Elements in the Approach to the Inmost Cave

In the Ordeal, the Hero confronts the Shadow and makes ultimate choices. This moment is thrilling, often action-packed, and offers the highest-stakes. However, the moment before this scene can't do the same thing. Instead there needs to be a brief, calm moment before plunging the Hero into battle.

Without this pause, the story won't elevate the suspense and tension. To get here, you're going to need to plan three storytelling elements:

• A Shadow character
• High stakes for success/failure
• A nearly-impossible task associated with the Shadow

With these elements in-hand, you'll be able to craft the next two steps of the Hero's Journey: The Approach (this article) and the Ordeal .

Let's start with the Shadow.

1. The Shadow: Get Your Villain Right

Joseph Campbell identified an archetypal character who appears in almost every heroic myth: The Shadow.

The Shadow is often called the villain. But what is more important is that they are a darker version of the hero.

Belloc, the greedy archeologist who steals from Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark , says to him, “I am but a shadowy reflection of you.” For the Shadow to work, they need to be the “bad” version of what makes the Hero good.

Here are some elements that are often similar between Hero and Shadow:

• Physicality
• Background, family, and/or culture

However, other elements must be in opposition, otherwise there will be no reason to call your Hero “good” and the Shadow “evil.” Some include:

• Leadership style
• Physical strengths
• Belief in “freedom” or some other positive societal value
• Opinions on physical violence

When the Hero and Shadow share several characteristics , this gives them reason to threaten one another and even consider teaming up.

In fact, you've probably seen the scene where the Villain invites the Hero to join them a thousand times:

• Darth Vader to Luke Skywalker in Star Wars
• Voldemort to Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 
• Magneto to Professor X (or other X-Men heroes) in the  X-Men 

They don't just share physical traits though; what must be common are deeply held beliefs about the central conflict.

Digging deeper into  Star Wars,  both Luke and Vader possess strongly held views on one essential element of the narrative: The Force.

Should the Force be used for “good,” or wisdom and defense, as Yoda teaches? Or should it be used for power, strength, and control, as The Emporer declares?

This life crisis is what gives  Star Wars  it's true power. It isn't just that Vader is Luke's father — it's that Luke's father is wedded to evil and all its virtues, and Luke fears what that means for his own life.

Without a shared trait like this, there'd be no reason for intense internal conflict. There would only be stark opposition, and the relationship would never find any depth.

And this is what readers love.

They may claim to love action or conflict, but what they  really  love is intense internal conflict within the hero. It's your job to create it.

So as you plan the latter sections of your heroic journey, make sure you get your Shadow right by designing shared traits with your Hero to keep things interesting.

2. The Stakes: Make Them Both Specific and General

When the time comes for the Hero to face the Shadow late in the journey, the stakes need to be higher than ever.

This has to be true specifically, for the hero themself, and it has to be true generally, for the world at large and the cast of characters you've put around the Hero.

No heroic journey is about the Hero alone, as every hero symbolizes a greater societal value: Hope. Freedom. Faith.

Yet the Hero must also have plenty to lose as well. That's why it's your job to place difficult hurdles before them, especially during this climactic event in the story.

Take the example of the Harry Potter  books.

From a point of view perspective, the books are incredibly intimate, taking the reader inside Harry's tortured mind and lonely soul. Yet his epic adventures have worldwide consequences as he must confront the rising evil of the Dark Lord Voldemort.

If Voldemort wins, the bigotry of “pure blood” magic will win and wreak havoc on both the magical world and the realm of unsuspecting Muggles. Harry's character arc isn't just about him dealing with a big baddie; it's about saving two entire worlds from Lord Voldemort and his minions.

This is what heroes do: They go in place of the people and face a most ultimate form of death. They put their own skin on the line, but their actions have universal impact.

That's what makes them so beloved when they win, and so worshiped when they suffer and die.

As you plan this climactic moment when Hero and Shadow finally clash, make sure the stakes — both local to the hero and general to the world — are at their peak intensity.

3. The Task: Challenging and Unidirectional

Whatever the Hero must do to pursue their ultimate goal, there must be a massive task to accomplish.

Examples include:

• Storming a castle
• Surviving a death match
• Escaping from a monster
• Winning a fight
• Delivering a great audition

These are the kinds of tasks we write poetry and songs about. These are the kinds of events that Lego builds toys about (except the audition/interview, of course).

There are two aspects of your confrontational task that must be incorporated into the design in order for them to be successful: Challenge and Direction.

First, the Task must be incredibly challenging.

It must be so challenging that your hero could not have succeeded in the first fifty percent of the book, and there's doubt whether or not they can succeed even now. It must be so challenging that the hero, or their companions, suffer to achieve it.

In this instance, consider  The Hunger Games.  One could argue that the games themselves represent the entire “Ordeal” stage of Katniss's hero's journey. It's not a common story structure, but it works in the world author Suzanne Collins is creating.

In the games, Katniss faces a monumental challenge: Defeat twenty-three other tributes, some from bloodthirsty Districts determined to capture victory. One of those tributes, of course, is her professed lover, Peta Malark. No easy task!

Note that the framing of the story shows Katniss approach the inmost cave, or the games, as she waits in the preparation room before rising into the arena. She and Peta eventually take revenge in a literal cave during the most critical moment when they are both injured and badly need medicine.

Not all stories prolong the Ordeal like Collins does. Others are brief but intense events, like an action or chase scene.

As an example of storming the castle, a common task in all sorts of stories from Game of Thrones  to  James Bond, the Shadow will lurk in a fortress with the object of desire (maybe a princess, a throne, a weapon, etc). In order to win the day (and prevent the awful Stakes from befalling humanity), the hero must infiltrate the castle, obtain the object of desire, and escape.

If you want this scene to be convincing, you can't have your hero sneak (or fight) in, grab the goods, and flee unscathed—at least not in this part of the Hero's Journey. You can get away with it as an opening bit (like in a Bond  movie), but NOT as the climactic battle.

The Task must be overwhelmingly expensive in sweat and blood. The Shadow and their evil cannot be overcome with ease. Otherwise you'll lose your reader's catharsis and compassion.

Second, the Task must be unidirectional.

In other words, there can be no turning back. The consequences for even starting must be immediate. Everything must change. This is the turning point in your story.

So what needs to change?

Usually these elements must transform the hero and their world:

• The Hero no longer doubts the mission and will pursue it to the end
• The Shadow no longer exhibits patience or mercy and will do anything to destroy the Hero
• The world reacts to the Hero's choices: Evil creatures begin to actively hunt the Hero, good creatures actively protect the Hero
• The object of desire is moved, destroyed, or transformed somehow

Consider yet another example:

Pixar's  Toy Story.  Woody and Buzz's major challenge is to escape the hellscape that is Sid's bedroom. They do so, but emerge to a changed world.

Their Ordinary World, Andy's bedroom, is no longer where it used to be. It is in a moving truck, rolling away from them with great speed. They have emerged from their trial only to find that all is not well anymore, and the story continues from there.

Consider, finally, this last note. After the climactic scene between Hero and Shadow, the object of desire is often transformed in a way that alters the rest of the action. It all depends on what the particular MacGuffin is.

Often it is revealed that the desired object wasn't anything special at all, forcing the hero to reconsider their goals and priorities.

Often a key character is killed during the Ordeal, heightening the stakes and lessening the desireability of the goal itself. These crises are what make hero's journeys powerful, and don't be afraid to throw your hero to the wolves in the final act of your tale.

No matter what object of desire your Hero is pursuing, the climactic moment must change everything. There is no turning back. The choice must be unidirectional.

Bring it All Together

These three elements will help you plan steps seven and eight of the Hero's Journey. Let's bring them together to form a powerful one-two punch in the climax of your story.

Remember that your Shadow must represent all the evil and selfishness that your Hero fears. That Shadow must have the potential to ruin everything the Hero holds dear. And the Task set before the Hero must be monumental and seemingly impossible to achieve.

These elements, when properly designed and blended, will yield an incredible climax that your reader will love.

What are your favorite Hero's Journey Approach and Ordeal scenes from books and movies you love? Can you find these elements in them? Let us know in the comments .

Take fifteen minutes to freewrite a scene where a hero contemplates facing an ordeal ahead. Don't worry about the specifics; instead, lean into the emotional challenge of facing the coming challenges. Here are some to inspire you as dream up a scenario:

• Your Hero's “Shadow” character: What traits might your Hero and the Shadow have in common? What separates them and makes them enemies?
• The Stakes involved: What could your Hero have to risk in order to defeat the Shadow and any other threat to the world?
• The Task: What incredibly challenging feat might the Hero have to accomplish in order to successfully confront the Shadow?

Post your writing in the Practice box, then find another writer's plan and leave a helpful comment on it!

David Safford

You deserve a great book. That's why David Safford writes adventure stories that you won't be able to put down. Read his latest story at his website. David is a Language Arts teacher, novelist, blogger, hiker, Legend of Zelda fanatic, puzzle-doer, husband, and father of two awesome children.

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Crafting Your Story’s Shadow

By Victoria Girmonde

Download the Math of Storytelling Infographic

Joseph Campbell identified the monomyth in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces . In his research, Campbell found that it didn’t matter what culture or religion he looked at, there was a specific pattern of events that unfolded and seemed to come up again and again and again. This structure is seen in the story of Odysseus, of Beowulf, of Percival, of The Wizard of Oz , Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker, The Lord of the Rings , The Hobbit , and many others.

The hero’s journey is iconic, but certain archetypes seem to appear throughout literature. One of these archetypes is the Shadow archetype. In this article, I am going to go over the Shadow Archetype, what it is, how it relates to not only your hero but also to your villain, and how to craft one in use it in the Story Grid Genres. Let’s get started!

What is the Shadow Archetype?

At its most basic level, the shadow archetype has been seen throughout literature and culture for generations after generations. Throughout storytelling, the hero must battle the forces of evil in order to achieve his or her quest. Now the forces of evil can take on many different forms. These forces can be hunting down a murderer, and you have multiple bodies. It can also take on an adversary for your one true love. It can take on maybe a fall you might have. From a psychological viewpoint, it is somewhat different.

According to Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist, everyone must struggle with their own Shadow their inner demons. Now the Shadow is our unconscious self. It’s all the parts of ourselves that we refuse to acknowledge and might even be ashamed of.

When a character embodies the shadow archetype in fiction, the Shadow archetype often takes on a villain. For example, Sauron is the Dark Lord of Mordor, and he represents the Shadow of the good of middle earth. Another example in The Lord of the Rings trilogy is Gollum. Gollum is the shadow archetype of not only of Frodo Baggins but also of Bilbo Baggins. Gollum represents the fallen hobbits. Even though Gollum was not a hobbit, to begin with, he was a cousin of the hobbits. Gollum was a Stoor Hobbit of the Riverfolk who lived near the Gladden Fields. He was initially known as Smeagol, but then he became corrupted by the One Ring of Power and was later named Gollum. When Gollum and his friend Deagol were off on a fishing trip, they found the Ring. Gollum (then Smeagol) wanted the Ring so much that he murdered his cousin for it. Gollum represents what Bilbo and Frodo could have quickly become through the One Ring’s corruption, and he is manifested physically on the page.

We all have darkness inside of us, and so do our characters. Your characters have things in their lives that they aren’t proud of. They are ashamed of things that have been done to them or of the things they have done.

We will discuss how to craft a Shadow Archetype for your story later on in this article. For now, let’s look at some other examples in literature and films.

The Shadow in Dr. Jekyll and the Matrix

Other examples of the Shadow in literature is The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Dr. Jekyll is a kind, well-respected scientist. He has a fiancé, and he is very, very well known in the community highly respected man thoughts he chooses to explore the darker side of science to bring out his second nature because of this flaw, Jekyll experiences his ultimate downfall. He transforms into his evil alter ego, Mr. Hyde. Hyde doesn’t repent or accept responsibilities for crimes and misdeeds like Jekyll does this by Jekyll’s best efforts to control Hyde, for maybe a very brief moment might be triumphant. Eventually, Hyde takes over, and the consequences lead to their deaths. Another example in recent television series of the shadow archetype is the character of Walter White in Breaking Bad. An ordinary family man at the start of the series, the darker aspects of his personality gradually take over until he becomes Heisenberg, a man prepared to murder to achieve his own goals.

In the 1999 film the Matrix , the Shadow is the sentinel program and the agents. Morpheus, a character in the Matrix, tells Neo (who is the hero), “The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window, or when you turn on your television. You can feel it, when you go to work, when you go to church, when you pay your taxes… Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is, you have to see it for yourself.” Morpheus, The Matrix

The Shadow is everywhere, and like Sauron’s eye in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, it sees everything and watches over all within its dominion. Isn’t that frightful? The Shadow is frightful and designed both externally and internally to drive your character to their breaking point and grow as a result. In many ways, the Shadow is the mirror that highlights the darkness within.

Let’s look at some of the characteristics of the Shadow.

Shadow Archetype Characteristics and Traits

“The sad truth is that man’s real-life consists of a complex of inexorable opposites-day and night, birth and death, happiness and misery, good and evil. We are not even sure that one will prevail against the other, that goodwill overcome evil, or joy defeat pain. Life is a battleground. It always has been, and always will be, and if it were not so, existence would come to an end.” Carl Jung

So, what are some of the traits of the shadow archetype? Frequently, the Shadow Archetype is often associated with chaos, mystery, wilderness, and the unknown. The Shadow can also appear to your hero/protagonist in a variety of forms. Carl Jung believed that dreams were very indicative of what people’s inner Shadow was. On a superficial level, the Shadow Archetype might also take on the form of a human or an animal. For example, the Shadow could manifest itself as a snake, a monster, a demon, or even a dragon.

The dragon form was seen in The Hobbit , by J.R.R. Tolkien. In The Hobbit , the dragon Smaug has stolen the mountain of Erebor. He has also seized the dwarves’ treasures and drove the dwarves from their homeland. Smaug is an external representation of the greed of the dwarves when they mined Erebor.

In many ways, Smaug represents externally what is going on internally inside Thorin Oakenshield, who is the leader of the Company of Dwarves who aim to reclaim the Lonely Mountain. Both Smaug and Thorin are guilty of greed. At the very end of the novel, Thorin is able to confront his Shadow (greed) both externally as well as internally and overcome it before he is killed in The Battle of the Five Armies.

Do your characters defeat their Shadow? Is your character even aware of their Shadow? How is it expressed on an external level vs. an internal level?

Let’s look at why some people might be afraid of their Shadow!

Why are We and Our Characters Afraid of the Shadow?

According to Jung, most people are afraid to confront their dark side and instead blame other people for their faults. This can lead to a lot of exciting conflicts within your novel or screenplay. If your character is flawed (which more than likely it is), what are their faults? Do they blame others for their shortcomings? Are they even aware that they are flawed?

In many ways, the Shadow is a struggle with the inner self. Jung believed that this represented our repression of our inner selves of our true self is extremely dangerous. The tighter the rein a person keeps on his or her Shadow and on their shame of who they really and try to suppress the parts of their personality they really don’t like, the more unhealthy on a psychological note they will be.

So, How Do I Use the Shadow in My Stories?

Let’s face it, we all want to level up in our writing skills and resonate with readers. That’s why we follow the story grid and work on the macro (the global story) and the micro story (scene writing).

Readers want real characters. We all want to read characters that we can identify with, and characters who confront or are overcome by their Shadow can be universal.

For example, let’s say you are writing a Crime Genre story with a Serial Killer Subgenre. In order for your detective to solve the heinous crimes that are taking place on their streets, he/she has to get inside your villain’s mind and think like them. This can bring up disturbing personality traits for your detective.

• Do they become angry easier?
• Do they lash out?
• How does thinking like the killer affect them? Do they have a breaking point?
• What will bring out your character’s dark side?
• What inner demons are they harboring?
• Do the murders remind them of something that happened in their childhood?
• Do the victims remind them of someone they loved and lost?

Let’s look at some examples, shall we?

Examples of the Shadow in Literature and Film

 Clarice Starling is the protagonist of Thomas Harriss’s The Silence of the Lambs . In that book, she is given the assignment to interview a notorious cannibal serial killer Hannibal Lector. She’s looking for information on the kidnapping and trying to find the girl before it’s too late.

Clarice’s story doesn’t end with The Silence of the Lambs . It continues in Hannibal, and it gets disturbing. In the next book, Harris takes even a darker turn. Seven years after the Buffalo Bill case, Clarice Starling is watching her career crumble around her. Hannibal Lector is on the loose, and Starling has just killed a meth dealer who had been holding a baby.

It was a drug raid gone very bad.

By the end of the novel, Starling and Lector’s relationship becomes even more complicated than the movie version. At first, Lector tries to brainwash Starling into thinking that she is Misha, Lector’s younger sister. When Lector was a child, Misha was killed in Russia and was eaten during a harsh winter. This was the catalyst that drove Lector into madness and revenge. Starling resists Lector and tells him that Misha is never coming back. Later on, Lector captures Justice Department agent Paul Krendler, who is Starling’s nemesis. Lector disables Krendler, and Starling and Lector eat his prefrontal cortex. Clarice finds the brain delicious. Then, Lector kills him. After, Clarice undresses and the two become lovers and disappear together.

Three years later, Barney (who had made problems for Lector and Starling before this) sees Lector and Starling at the opera as if waiting for him. It is interpreted that the two are there to eat him.

By the end of Hannibal , Clarice Starling has fully embraced her Shadow self and has stepped into a world very different than the one she has lived in before. Before this happened, Clarice was about law and order and bringing people to justice. Now, she is living outside of the law and has formed a new “law” with Lector.

Lector is Clarice’s Shadow personified.

Some critics have commented that it is unclear whether Clarice has entirely gone to dark or she is just pretending to be because she is trying a different tactic to try and curtail Lector’s apatite. Some have argued that with Clarice in a relationship with Hannibal Lector, she can monitor Lector and make sure he is not going entirely “insane.” Others have stated that Clarice has fully transitioned from FBI agent to serial killer. Either way, Clarice embraces a fate worse than death, which is on the negative Horror value scale.

While you don’t need to have as dramatic as a change like Harris does in his books, playing with the Shadow archetype of your character will help you with your story. By playing with the Shadow, you are going to take your characters to their breaking point.

Their Breaking Point

What is going to make them confront their Shadow? For Frodo, he has to face his growing attachment to the One Ring of Power. Every time Frodo looks at Gollum, he sees what he could become if he gives in to the power of the One Ring.

Gollum is his Shadow.

Every time Dr. Jeckyll feels the change coming on, he knows someone is about to be killed, and he has to try and figure out how to his Hyde personality from taking over.

 What will drive your character to their dark side? For Walter White, in Breaking Bad, he had terminal cancer and wanted to get money quickly to secure his family’s future. However, the result ended in his demise. He cannot wholly conquer his Shadow, although he does return to a somewhat lesser degree of insanity at the very end.

How to Use the Shadow in Story Grid

Once you figure out your Story Grid Genre, and you have your main character(s), you should figure out how to heighten the value shifts through the Shadow archetype.

For example, the 2016 Passengers movie, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt, has a Love Courtship story running through it. However, you could easily rewrite it as a dark Love Obsession movie by manipulating the Shadow archetype. Let’s take a look:

The Avalon is a sleeper ship transporting 5,000 colonists and 258 crew members in hibernation pods from Earth to a distant planet named Homestead II. During the flight, Chris Pratt’s character James “Jim” Preston’s hibernation pod malfunctions, and he wakes up 90 years too early. Jim has no way to get his hibernation pod working again and must confront a grim fate: living the rest of the life alone on the Avalon .

 In the movie, Jim becomes suicidal over the course of lonely a year until he sees Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence) and ends up wanting to learn more about her, and he convinces himself he is in love with her. Eventually, Jim wakes Aurora up and tells her that pod “accidentally” malfunctioned. After a series of events, the two fall in love, become lovers, and then Aurora learns the truth that Jim woke her on purpose.

At this point in the movie, Aurora realizes that she has been lied to, and Jim has a moment where he realizes that what he did was wrong and that he had chosen to take her life. Eventually, everything works out, and the two fix the sleeper ship from malfunctioning, and they live a life together on Avalon.

This story has a Love courtship genre woven into it. However, you make it another way. Here’s how: Jim is obsessive and has lost his mind due to isolation when he decides to wake up Aurora. Jim thinks he has fallen in love with Aurora. However, he doesn’t even know her. Not really.

Yet, he becomes so obsessed with her that he decides to take away the life she had dreamt of and condemn her to a different life. When Aurora finds out, she doesn’t forgive Jim like she does in the movie, and instead, it becomes a cat and mouse game where Jim’s character has fully embraced his dark side and begins stalking her on the claustrophobic ship. Now, Aurora must figure out to survive on a ship drifting off into space.

You get the point.

You can twist the Shadow Archetype according to each genre. For the internal genres (love, worldview, and morality), the Shadow might be representative of an internal struggle going inside of the character. For the external genres, you might have the Shadow be visibly seen like Sauron’s eye or Smaug.

In order to craft the Shadow, ask yourself these questions:

• What is your character afraid of?
• What are they ashamed of?
• What does your character not want to remember?
• What is the Shadow of your character?

So, What’s Next?

As always, read widely and deeply. Read in multiple genres and try to dissect the stories both on a Story Grid genre level and watch out for the hero’s journey and Jung’s archetypes. Try and figure out how to show your story’s Shadow both externally as well as internally. I hope all is well. Take care and happy writing! – Tory

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The Hero and the Hero’s Shadow: The Archetype That Defines Us

A personal perspective: finding balance on the grief journey..

Posted March 30, 2022 | Reviewed by Vanessa Lancaster

• Archetypes are categories of people, characters, or voices that express fundamental aspects of the human experience. Each archetype has a shadow.
• There is a powerful connection between the representation of The Hero and the lines that divide us from each other and the inner Self.
• Both The Hero and The Shadow allow for growth – once realized, they are a constant source of elevation just waiting to be conjured.

Archetypes are categories of people, characters, or voices that express fundamental aspects of human experience. Archetype descriptions may vary across cultures but are universally recognizable. Think about The Good Mother or The Hero, and an image will come to mind. The same goes for all archetypal figures described by Carl Jung, the great twentieth-century psychoanalyst : The Father, The Wise Old Man, The Devil.

Each archetype also has a shadow. Spending any extended amount of time embodying an archetype will shed light on vulnerabilities. For example, The Hero might have a bloated ego that takes action when sometimes inaction allows for healthy distancing to occur: imagine if Superman never changed back into Clark Kent, never getting the opportunity to observe from a layman's perspective. The act of finding the balance between The Hero and its Shadow aids the discovery of sections of the grief journey where emotional coasting may become more efficient.

The Hero Archetype

The Hero is an archetype who can be an ardent supporter and cheerleader, finding ways to help us meet big and little grief and other trials directly. Known for strength, ingenuity, and the desire to be courageous at all costs, at the core of The Hero’s existence is the need to show how valuable it is not only to the Self but also to others.

The Hero offers stability. Think Wonder Woman or Spiderman helping to navigate the most difficult parts of the emotional Self. Strong. Courageous. At all costs, The Hero is stable.

The Hero inside can fight what’s ahead with a dragon slayer’s mentality. The Hero has been depicted with masculine and feminine energies in movies and comic books. Amid the parts of trauma that are particularly difficult, imagine calling upon or conspiring with the likes of a Wonder Woman or Spiderman to help navigate through difficult times. It might seem funny, yet this is a journey that awakens an internal understanding of the Self. This is a gift as you enter the dance and meet all the aspects of the psyche.

The Hero’s Shadow

As a subconscious defense mechanism , sometimes archetypal tendencies aren’t recognized until the Shadow begins to emerge. Identity confusion, a rapid oscillation between moods, and dour sensibilities are all a natural part of the grieving process, which is staunchly headed toward positive change, although it might not always feel like it.

How the Hero and the Shadow Work Together

The Hero detests weakness. Feeling more powerful in relation to the observed weakness of others is a sign that The Hero has shown up. However, it is the shadow that emerges with feelings of superiority over others.

Obstacles faced by the Shadow of the Hero have to do with the need to be engaged in a fight, so with nothing to fight, The Hero may feel lost. This can cause emotional hardship within the Self.

Questions may arise such as:

• “Who am I without an active state of grief?"
• "Who am I when the role of survivor is only part of me?"
• "How can I use the roles I’ve played and make a difference in another person’s life?”

These questions engage you in the present, bring out what has been hidden within your psyche, and participate with the power of the Hero’s Shadow.

There's a hero If you look inside your heart You don't have to be afraid Of what you are There's an answer – Mariah Carey / Walter Afanasieff

The Hero Inside

The Hero is a good example of a universal archetype. If asked to describe a Hero, an image is easily conjured. Based on the culture from which each person comes, images of The Hero may be different, yet ultimately these archetypes do not need a translation. There is a powerful connection between the representation of The Hero and the lines that divide us from each other and the inner Self.

The dangers we face in the name of care for others and the Self is now an intrinsic part of society. There are many archetypes and shadows that allow for growth – once realized, they are a constant source of elevation just waiting to be conjured.

Edy Nathan, MA, LCSWR, is a therapist and the author of It’s Grief: The Dance of Self-Discovery Through Trauma and Loss.

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The Role of Archetypes in Literature

Christopher Vogler's work on archetypes helps us understand literature

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• The Hero's Journey

The Job of the Herald

The purpose of the mentor, overcoming the threshold guardian, meeting ourselves in shapeshifters, confronting the shadow, changes brought about by the trickster.

• B.A., English, St. Olaf College

Carl Jung called archetypes the ancient patterns of personality that are the shared heritage of the human race. Archetypes are amazingly constant throughout all times and cultures in the collective unconscious, and you'll find them in all of the most satisfying literature. An understanding of these forces is one of the most powerful elements in the storyteller’s toolbox.

Understanding these ancient patterns can help you better understand literature and become a better writer yourself. You'll also be able to identify archetypes in your life experience and bring that wealth to your work. 

When you grasp the function of the archetype a character expresses, you will know his or her purpose in the story.

Christopher Vogler, author of The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure , writes about how every good story reflects the total human story. In other words, the hero's journey represents the universal human condition of being born into this world, growing, learning, struggling to become an individual, and dying. The next time you watch a movie, TV program, even a commercial, identify the following archetypes. I guarantee you'll see some or all of them.

The Hero's Journey

The word "hero" comes from a Greek root that means to protect and serve. The hero is connected with self-sacrifice. He or she is the person who transcends ego, but at first, the hero is all ego.

The hero’s job is to incorporate all the separate parts of himself to become a true Self, which he then recognizes as part of the whole, Vogler says. The reader is usually invited to identify with the hero. You admire the hero's qualities and want to be like him or her, but the hero also has flaws. Weaknesses, quirks, and vices make a hero more appealing. The hero also has one or more inner conflicts. For example, he or she may struggle over the conflicts of love versus duty, trust versus suspicion, or hope versus despair.

In The Wizard of Oz  Dorothy is the story's hero, a girl trying to find her place in the world.

Heralds issue challenges and announce the coming of significant change. Something changes the hero’s situation, and nothing is the same ever again.

The herald often delivers the Call to Adventure, sometimes in the form of a letter, a phone call, an accident.

Heralds provide the important psychological function of announcing the need for change, Vogler says.

Miss Gulch, at the beginning of the film version of The Wizard of Oz , makes a visit to Dorothy's house to complain that Toto is trouble. Toto is taken away, and the adventure begins.

Mentors provide heroes with motivation , inspiration , guidance, training, and gifts for the journey. Their gifts often come in the form of information or gadgets that come in handy later. Mentors seem inspired by divine wisdom; they are the voice of a god. They stand for the hero’s highest aspirations, Vogler says.

The gift or help given by the mentor should be earned by learning, sacrifice, or commitment.

Yoda is a classic mentor. So is Q from the James Bond series. Glinda, the Good Witch, is Dorothy's mentor in The Wizard of O z.

At each gateway on the journey, there are powerful guardians placed to keep the unworthy from entering. If properly understood, these guardians can be overcome, bypassed, or turned into allies. These characters are not the journey's main villain but are often lieutenants of the villain. They are the naysayers, doorkeepers, bouncers, bodyguards, and gunslingers, according to Vogler.

On a deeper psychological level, threshold guardians represent our internal demons. Their function is not necessarily to stop the hero but to test if he or she is really determined to accept the challenge of change.

Heroes learn to recognize resistance as a source of strength. Threshold Guardians are not to be defeated but incorporated into the self. The message: those who are put off by outward appearances cannot enter the Special World, but those who can see past surface impressions to the inner reality are welcome, according to Vogler.

The Doorman at the Emerald City, who attempts to stop Dorothy and her friends from seeing the wizard, is one threshold guardian. Another is the group of flying monkeys who attack the group. Finally, the Winkie Guards are literal threshold guardians who are enslaved by the Wicked Witch.

Shapeshifters express the energy of the animus (the male element in the female consciousness) and anima (the female element in the male consciousness). Vogler says we often recognize a resemblance of our own anima or animus in a person, project the full image onto him or her, enter a relationship with this ideal fantasy, and commence trying to force the partner to match our projection.

The shapeshifter is a catalyst for change, a symbol of the psychological urge to transform. The role serves the dramatic function of bringing doubt and suspense into a story. It is a mask that may be worn by any character in the story, and is often expressed by a character whose loyalty and true nature are always in question, Vogler says.

Think Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion.

The shadow represents the energy of the dark side, the unexpressed, unrealized, or rejected aspects of something. The negative face of the shadow is the villain, antagonist, or enemy. It may also be an ally who is after the same goal but who disagrees with the hero’s tactics.

Vogler says the function of the shadow is to challenge the hero and give her a worthy opponent in the struggle. Femmes Fatale are lovers who shift shapes to such a degree they become the shadow. The best shadows have some admirable quality that humanizes them. Most shadows do not see themselves as villains, but merely as heroes of their own myths.

Internal shadows may be deeply repressed parts of the hero, according to Vogler. External shadows must be destroyed by the hero or redeemed and turned into a positive force. Shadows may also represent unexplored potentials, such as affection, creativity, or psychic ability that goes unexpressed.

The Wicked Witch is the obvious shadow in the Wizard of Oz.

The trickster embodies the energies of mischief and the desire for change. He cuts big egos down to size and brings heroes and readers down to earth, Vogler says. He brings change by drawing attention to the imbalance or absurdity of a stagnant situation and often provokes laughter. Tricksters are catalyst characters who affect the lives of others but are unchanged themselves.

The Wizard himself is both a shapeshifter and a trickster.

• The Approach to the Inmost Cave in the Hero's Journey
• The Hero's Journey: Crossing the Threshold
• An Introduction to The Hero's Journey
• The Hero's Journey: Refusing The Call to Adventure
• The Ordeal in the Hero's Journey
• The Reward and the Road Back
• The Hero's Journey: Meeting with the Mentor
• The Ordinary World in the Hero's Journey
• Therapeutic Metaphor
• The Resurrection and Return With the Elixir
• "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" Study Guide
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Hero's Journey 101: How to Use the Hero's Journey to Plot Your Story

Dan Schriever

How many times have you heard this story? A protagonist is suddenly whisked away from their ordinary life and embarks on a grand adventure. Along the way they make new friends, confront perils, and face tests of character. In the end, evil is defeated, and the hero returns home a changed person.

That’s the Hero’s Journey in a nutshell. It probably sounds very familiar—and rightly so: the Hero’s Journey aspires to be the universal story, or monomyth, a narrative pattern deeply ingrained in literature and culture. Whether in books, movies, television, or folklore, chances are you’ve encountered many examples of the Hero’s Journey in the wild.

In this post, we’ll walk through the elements of the Hero’s Journey step by step. We’ll also study an archetypal example from the movie The Matrix (1999). Once you have mastered the beats of this narrative template, you’ll be ready to put your very own spin on it.

Sound good? Then let’s cross the threshold and let the journey begin.

What Is the Hero’s Journey?

The 12 stages of the hero’s journey, writing your own hero’s journey.

The Hero’s Journey is a common story structure for modeling both plot points and character development. A protagonist embarks on an adventure into the unknown. They learn lessons, overcome adversity, defeat evil, and return home transformed.

Joseph Campbell , a scholar of literature, popularized the monomyth in his influential work The Hero With a Thousand Faces (1949). Looking for common patterns in mythological narratives, Campbell described a character arc with 17 total stages, overlaid on a more traditional three-act structure. Not all need be present in every myth or in the same order.

The three stages, or acts, of Campbell’s Hero’s Journey are as follows:

1. Departure. The hero leaves the ordinary world behind.

2. Initiation. The hero ventures into the unknown ("the Special World") and overcomes various obstacles and challenges.

3. Return. The hero returns in triumph to the familiar world.

Hollywood has embraced Campbell’s structure, most famously in George Lucas’s Star Wars movies. There are countless examples in books, music, and video games, from fantasy epics and Disney films to sports movies.

In The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers (1992), screenwriter Christopher Vogler adapted Campbell’s three phases into the "12 Stages of the Hero’s Journey." This is the version we’ll analyze in the next section.

For writers, the purpose of the Hero’s Journey is to act as a template and guide. It’s not a rigid formula that your plot must follow beat by beat. Indeed, there are good reasons to deviate—not least of which is that this structure has become so ubiquitous.

Still, it’s helpful to master the rules before deciding when and how to break them. The 12 steps of the Hero's Journey are as follows :

• The Ordinary World
• The Call of Adventure
• Refusal of the Call
• Meeting the Mentor
• Crossing the First Threshold
• Tests, Allies, and Enemies
• Approach to the Inmost Cave
• Reward (Seizing the Sword)
• The Road Back
• Resurrection
• Return with the Elixir

Let’s take a look at each stage in more detail. To show you how the Hero’s Journey works in practice, we’ll also consider an example from the movie The Matrix (1999). After all, what blog has not been improved by a little Keanu Reeves?

#1: The Ordinary World

This is where we meet our hero, although the journey has not yet begun: first, we need to establish the status quo by showing the hero living their ordinary, mundane life.

It’s important to lay the groundwork in this opening stage, before the journey begins. It lets readers identify with the hero as just a regular person, “normal” like the rest of us. Yes, there may be a big problem somewhere out there, but the hero at this stage has very limited awareness of it.

The Ordinary World in The Matrix :

We are introduced to Thomas A. Anderson, aka Neo, programmer by day, hacker by night. While Neo runs a side operation selling illicit software, Thomas Anderson lives the most mundane life imaginable: he works at his cubicle, pays his taxes, and helps the landlady carry out her garbage.

#2: The Call to Adventure

The journey proper begins with a call to adventure—something that disrupts the hero’s ordinary life and confronts them with a problem or challenge they can’t ignore. This can take many different forms.

While readers may already understand the stakes, the hero is realizing them for the first time. They must make a choice: will they shrink from the call, or rise to the challenge?

The Call to Adventure in The Matrix :

A mysterious message arrives in Neo’s computer, warning him that things are not as they seem. He is urged to “follow the white rabbit.” At a nightclub, he meets Trinity, who tells him to seek Morpheus.

#3: Refusal of the Call

Oops! The hero chooses option A and attempts to refuse the call to adventure. This could be for any number of reasons: fear, disbelief, a sense of inadequacy, or plain unwillingness to make the sacrifices that are required.

A little reluctance here is understandable. If you were asked to trade the comforts of home for a life-and-death journey fraught with peril, wouldn’t you give pause?

Refusal of the Call in The Matrix :

Agents arrive at Neo’s office to arrest him. Morpheus urges Neo to escape by climbing out a skyscraper window. “I can’t do this… This is crazy!” Neo protests as he backs off the ledge.

#4: Meeting the Mentor

Okay, so the hero got cold feet. Nothing a little pep talk can’t fix! The mentor figure appears at this point to give the hero some much needed counsel, coaching, and perhaps a kick out the door.

After all, the hero is very inexperienced at this point. They’re going to need help to avoid disaster or, worse, death. The mentor’s role is to overcome the hero’s reluctance and prepare them for what lies ahead.

Meeting the Mentor in The Matrix :

Neo meets with Morpheus, who reveals a terrifying truth: that the ordinary world as we know it is a computer simulation designed to enslave humanity to machines.

#5: Crossing the First Threshold

At this juncture, the hero is ready to leave their ordinary world for the first time. With the mentor’s help, they are committed to the journey and ready to step across the threshold into the special world . This marks the end of the departure act and the beginning of the adventure in earnest.

This may seem inevitable, but for the hero it represents an important choice. Once the threshold is crossed, there’s no going back. Bilbo Baggins put it nicely: “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

Crossing the First Threshold in The Matrix :

Neo is offered a stark choice: take the blue pill and return to his ordinary life none the wiser, or take the red pill and “see how deep the rabbit hole goes.” Neo takes the red pill and is extracted from the Matrix, entering the real world .

#6: Tests, Allies, and Enemies

Now we are getting into the meat of the adventure. The hero steps into the special world and must learn the new rules of an unfamiliar setting while navigating trials, tribulations, and tests of will. New characters are often introduced here, and the hero must navigate their relationships with them. Will they be friend, foe, or something in between?

Broadly speaking, this is a time of experimentation and growth. It is also one of the longest stages of the journey, as the hero learns the lay of the land and defines their relationship to other characters.

Wondering how to create captivating characters? Read our guide , which explains how to shape characters that readers will love—or hate.

Tests, Allies, and Enemies in The Matrix :

Neo is introduced to the vagabond crew of the Nebuchadnezzar . Morpheus informs Neo that he is The One , a savior destined to liberate humanity. He learns jiu jitsu and other useful skills.

#7: Approach to the Inmost Cave

Time to get a little metaphorical. The inmost cave isn’t a physical cave, but rather a place of great danger—indeed, the most dangerous place in the special world . It could be a villain’s lair, an impending battle, or even a mental barrier. No spelunking required.

Broadly speaking, the approach is marked by a setback in the quest. It becomes a lesson in persistence, where the hero must reckon with failure, change their mindset, or try new ideas.

Note that the hero hasn’t entered the cave just yet. This stage is about the approach itself, which the hero must navigate to get closer to their ultimate goal. The stakes are rising, and failure is no longer an option.

Approach to the Inmost Cave in The Matrix :

Neo pays a visit to The Oracle. She challenges Neo to “know thyself”—does he believe, deep down, that he is The One ? Or does he fear that he is “just another guy”? She warns him that the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.

#8: The Ordeal

The ordeal marks the hero’s greatest test thus far. This is a dark time for them: indeed, Campbell refers to it as the “belly of the whale.” The hero experiences a major hurdle or obstacle, which causes them to hit rock bottom.

This is a pivotal moment in the story, the main event of the second act. It is time for the hero to come face to face with their greatest fear. It will take all their skills to survive this life-or-death crisis. Should they succeed, they will emerge from the ordeal transformed.

Keep in mind: the story isn’t over yet! Rather, the ordeal is the moment when the protagonist overcomes their weaknesses and truly steps into the title of hero .

The Ordeal in The Matrix :

When Cipher betrays the crew to the agents, Morpheus sacrifices himself to protect Neo. In turn, Neo makes his own choice: to risk his life in a daring rescue attempt.

#9: Reward (Seizing the Sword)

The ordeal was a major level-up moment for the hero. Now that it's been overcome, the hero can reap the reward of success. This reward could be an object, a skill, or knowledge—whatever it is that the hero has been struggling toward. At last, the sword is within their grasp.

From this moment on, the hero is a changed person. They are now equipped for the final conflict, even if they don’t fully realize it yet.

Reward (Seizing the Sword) in The Matrix :

Neo’s reward is helpfully narrated by Morpheus during the rescue effort: “He is beginning to believe.” Neo has gained confidence that he can fight the machines, and he won’t back down from his destiny.

#10: The Road Back

We’re now at the beginning of act three, the return . With the reward in hand, it’s time to exit the inmost cave and head home. But the story isn’t over yet.

In this stage, the hero reckons with the consequences of act two. The ordeal was a success, but things have changed now. Perhaps the dragon, robbed of his treasure, sets off for revenge. Perhaps there are more enemies to fight. Whatever the obstacle, the hero must face them before their journey is complete.

The Road Back in The Matrix :

The rescue of Morpheus has enraged Agent Smith, who intercepts Neo before he can return to the Nebuchadnezzar . The two foes battle in a subway station, where Neo’s skills are pushed to their limit.

#11: Resurrection

Now comes the true climax of the story. This is the hero’s final test, when everything is at stake: the battle for the soul of Gotham, the final chance for evil to triumph. The hero is also at the peak of their powers. A happy ending is within sight, should they succeed.

Vogler calls the resurrection stage the hero’s “final exam.” They must draw on everything they have learned and prove again that they have really internalized the lessons of the ordeal . Near-death escapes are not uncommon here, or even literal deaths and resurrections.

Resurrection in The Matrix :

Despite fighting valiantly, Neo is defeated by Agent Smith and killed. But with Trinity’s help, he is resurrected, activating his full powers as The One . Isn’t it wonderful how literal The Matrix can be?

#12: Return with the Elixir

Hooray! Evil has been defeated and the hero is transformed. It’s time for the protagonist to return home in triumph, and share their hard-won prize with the ordinary world . This prize is the elixir —the object, skill, or insight that was the hero’s true reward for their journey and transformation.

Return with the Elixir in The Matrix :

Neo has defeated the agents and embraced his destiny. He returns to the simulated world of the Matrix, this time armed with god-like powers and a resolve to open humanity’s eyes to the truth.

If you’re writing your own adventure, you may be wondering: should I follow the Hero’s Journey structure?

The good news is, it’s totally up to you. Joseph Campbell conceived of the monomyth as a way to understand universal story structure, but there are many ways to outline a novel. Feel free to play around within its confines, adapt it across different media, and disrupt reader expectations. It’s like Morpheus says: “Some of these rules can be bent. Others can be broken.”

Think of the Hero’s Journey as a tool. If you’re not sure where your story should go next, it can help to refer back to the basics. From there, you’re free to choose your own adventure.

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The Hero’s Journey Ultimate Writing Guide with Examples

by Alex Cabal

What do Star Wars , The Hobbit , and Harry Potter have in common? They’re all examples of a story archetype as old as time. You’ll see this universal narrative structure in books, films, and even video games.

This ultimate Hero’s Journey writing guide will define and explore all quintessential elements of the Hero’s Journey—character archetypes, themes, symbolism, the three act structure, as well as 12 stages of the Hero’s Journey. We’ll even provide a downloadable plot template, tips for writing the Hero’s Journey, and writing prompts to get the creative juices flowing.

What is the Hero’s Journey?

The Hero’s Journey is a universal story structure that follows the personal metamorphosis and psychological development of a protagonist on a heroic adventure. The protagonist goes through a series of stages to overcome adversity and complete a quest to attain an ultimate reward—whether that’s something tangible, like the holy grail, or something internal, like self confidence.

In the process of self-discovery, the archetypal Hero’s Journey is typically cyclical; it begins and ends in the same place (Think Frodo leaving and then returning to the Shire). After the epic quest or adventure has been completed by overcoming adversity and conflict—both physical and mental—the hero arrives where they once began, changed in some as they rose to meet the ultimate conflict or ordeal of the quest.

Joseph Campbell and Christopher Vogler

The Hero’s Journey has a long history of conversation around the form and its uses, with notable contributors including Joseph Campbell and the screenwriter Christopher Vogler , who later revised the steps of the Hero’s Journey.

Joseph Campbell’s “monomyth” framework is the traditional story structure of the Hero’s Journey archetype. Campbell developed it through analysis of ancient myths, folktales, and religious stories. It generally follows three acts in a cyclical, rather than a linear, way: a hero embarks on a journey, faces a crisis, and then returns home transformed and victorious.

Campbell’s ideation of the monomyth in his book The Hero With a Thousand Faces was influenced by Carl Jung’s perspective of psychology and models of self-transformation , where the Hero’s Journey is a path of transformation to a higher self, psychological healing, and spiritual growth.

While Campbell’s original take on the monomyth included 17 steps within the three acts, Christopher Vogler, in his book The Writer’s Journey , refined those 17 steps into 12 stages—the common formula for the modern structure many writers use today.

It’s also worth checking out Maureen Murdock’s work on the archetype, “The Heroine’s Journey.” This takes a look at the female Hero’s Journey, which examines the traditionally masculine journey through a feminist lens.

Hero’s Journey diagram: acts, steps, and stages

Below, you can see the way Volger’s Hero’s Journey is broken into twelve story beats across three acts.

Why is the Hero’s Journey so popular?

The structure of the Hero’s Journey appears in many of our most beloved classic stories, and it continues to resonate over time because it explores the concept of personal transformation and growth through both physical and mental trials and tribulations. In some sense, every individual in this mythic structure experiences rites of passage, the search for home and the true authentic self, which is mirrored in a protagonist’s journey of overcoming obstacles while seeking to fulfill a goal.

Additionally, the Hero’s Journey typically includes commonly shared symbols and aspects of the human psyche—the trickster, the mother, the child, etc. These archetypes play a role in creating a story that the reader can recognize from similar dynamics in their own relationships, experiences, and familiar world. Archetypes allow the writer to use these “metaphorical truths”—a playful deceiver, a maternal bond, a person of innocence and purity—to deeply and empathetically connect with the reader through symbolism. That’s why they continue to appear in countless stories all around the world.

Hero’s Journey character archetypes

Character archetypes are literary devices based on a set of qualities that are easy for a reader to identify, empathize with, and understand, as these qualities and traits are common to the human experience.

It should be noted that character archetypes are not stereotypes . While stereotypes are oversimplifications of demographics or personality traits, an archetype is a symbol of a universal type of character that can be recognized either in one’s self or in others in real life.

The following archetypes are commonly used in a Hero’s Journey:

The hero is typically the protagonist or principal point-of-view character within a story. The hero transforms—internally, externally, often both—while on their journey as they experience tests and trials and are aided or hindered by the other archetypes they encounter. In general, the hero must rise to the challenge and at some point make an act of sacrifice for the ultimate greater good. In this way, the Hero’s Journey represents the reader’s own everyday battles and their power to overcome them.

Heroes may be willing or unwilling. Some can be downright unheroic to begin with. Antiheroes are notably flawed characters that must grow significantly before they achieve the status of true hero.

The mentor often possesses divine wisdom or direct experience with the special world, and has faith in the hero. They often give the hero a gift or supernatural aid, which is usually something important for the quest: either a weapon to destroy a monster, or a talisman to enlighten the hero. The mentor may also directly aid the hero or present challenges to them that force internal or external growth. After their meeting, the hero leaves stronger and better prepared for the road ahead.

The herald is the “call to adventure.” They announce the coming of significant change and become the reason the hero ventures out onto a mysterious adventure. The herald is a catalyst that enters the story and makes it impossible for the hero to remain in status quo. Existing in the form of a person or an event, or sometimes just as information, they shift the hero’s balance and change their world.

The Threshold Guardian

This archetype guards the first threshold—the major turning point of the story where the hero must make the true commitment of the journey and embark on their quest to achieve their destiny. Threshold guardians spice up the story by providing obstacles the hero must overcome, but they’re usually not the main antagonist.

The role of the threshold guardian is to help round out the hero along their journey. The threshold guardian will test the hero’s determination and commitment and will drive them forward as the hero enters the next stage of their journey, assisting the development of the hero’s character arc within the plot. The threshold guardian can be a friend who doesn’t believe in the hero’s quest, or a foe that makes the hero question themselves, their desires, or motives in an attempt to deter the hero from their journey. Ultimately, the role of the threshold guardian is to test the hero’s resolve on their quest.

The Shape Shifter

The shape shifter adds dramatic tension to the story and provides the hero with a puzzle to solve. They can seem to be one thing, but in fact be something else. They bring doubt and suspense to the story and test the hero’s ability to discern their path. The shape shifter may be a lover, friend, ally, or enemy that somehow reveals their true self from the hero’s preconceived notion. This often causes the hero internal turmoil, or creates additional challenges and tests to overcome.

The shadow is the “monster under the bed,” and could be repressed feelings, deep trauma, or festering guilt. These all possess the dark energy of the shadow. It is the dark force of the unexpressed, unrealized, rejected, feared aspects of the hero and is often, but not necessarily, represented by the main antagonist or villain.

However, other characters may take the form of the shadow at different stages of the story as “foil characters” that contrast against the hero. They might also represent what could happen if the hero fails to learn, transform, and grow to complete their quest. At times, a hero may even succumb to the shadow, from which they will need to make sacrifices to be redeemed to continue on their overall quest.

The Trickster

The trickster is the jester or fool of the story that not only provides comic relief, but may also act as a commentator as the events of the plot unfold. Tricksters are typically witty, clever, spontaneous, and sometimes even ridiculous. The trickster within a story can bring a light-hearted element to a challenge, or find a clever way to overcome an obstacle.

Hero’s Journey themes and symbols

Alongside character archetypes, there are also archetypes for settings, situations, and symbolic items that can offer meaning to the world within the story or support your story’s theme.

Archetypes of themes, symbols, and situations represent shared patterns of human existence. This familiarity can provide the reader insight into the deeper meaning of a story without the writer needing to explicitly tell them. There are a great number of archetypes and symbols that can be used to reinforce a theme. Some that are common to the Hero’s Journey include:

Situational archetypes

Light vs. dark and the battle of good vs. evil

Death, rebirth, and transformation in the cycle of life

Nature vs. technology, and the evolution of humanity

Rags to riches or vice versa, as commentary on the material world and social status

Wisdom vs. knowledge and innocence vs. experience, in the understanding of intuition and learned experience

Setting archetypes

Gardens may represent the taming of nature, or living in harmony with nature.

Forests may represent reconnection with nature or wildness, or the fear of the unknown.

Cities or small towns may represent humanity at its best and at its worst. A small town may offer comfort and rest, while simultaneously offering judgment; a city may represent danger while simultaneously championing diversity of ideas, beings, and cultures.

Water and fire within a landscape may represent danger, change, purification, and cleansing.

Symbolic items

Items of the past self. These items are generally tokens from home that remind the hero of where they came from and who or what they’re fighting for.

Gifts to the hero. These items may be given to the hero from a mentor, ally, or even a minor character they meet along the way. These items are typically hero talismans, and may or may not be magical, but will aid the hero on their journey.

Found items. These items are typically found along the journey and represent some sort of growth or change within the hero. After all, the hero would never have found the item had they not left their everyday life behind. These items may immediately seem unimportant, but often carry great significance.

Earned rewards. These items are generally earned by overcoming a test or trial, and often represent growth, or give aid in future trials, tests, and conflicts.

The three act structure of the Hero’s Journey

The structure of the Hero’s Journey, including all 12 steps, can be grouped into three stages that encompass each phase of the journey. These acts follow the the external and internal arc of the hero—the beginning, the initiation and transformation, and the return home.

Act One: Departure (Steps 1—5)

The first act introduces the hero within the ordinary world, as they are—original and untransformed. The first act will typically include the first five steps of the Hero’s Journey.

This section allows the writer to set the stage with details that show who the hero is before their metamorphosis—what is the environment of the ordinary world? What’s important to the hero? Why do they first refuse the call, and then, why do they ultimately accept and embark on the journey to meet with the conflict?

This stage introduces the first major plot point of the story, explores the conflict the hero confronts, and provides the opportunity for characterization for the hero and their companions.

The end of the first act generally occurs when the hero has fully committed to the journey and crossed the threshold of the ordinary world—where there is no turning back.

Act Two: Initiation (Steps 6—9)

Once the hero begins their journey, the second act marks the beginning of their true initiation into the unfamiliar world—they have crossed the threshold, and through this choice, have undergone their first transformation.

The second act is generally the longest of the three and includes steps six through nine.

In this act, the hero meets most of the characters that will be pivotal to the plot, including friends, enemies, and allies. It offers the rising action and other minor plot points related to the overarching conflict. The hero will overcome various trials, grow and transform, and navigate subplots—the additional and unforeseen complexity of the conflict.

This act generally ends when the hero has risen to the challenge to overcome the ordeal and receives their reward. At the end of this act, it’s common for the theme and moral of the story to be fully unveiled.

Act Three: Return (Steps 10—12)

The final stage typically includes steps 10—12, generally beginning with the road back—the point in the story where the hero must recommit to the journey and use all of the growth, transformation, gifts and tools acquired along the journey to bring a decisive victory against their final conflict.

From this event, the hero will also be “reborn,” either literally or metaphorically, and then beginning anew as a self-actualized being, equipped with internal knowledge about themselves, external knowledge about the world, and experience.

At the end of the third act, the hero returns home to the ordinary world, bringing back the gifts they earned on their journey. In the final passages, both the hero and their perception of the ordinary world are compared with what they once were.

The 12 steps of the Hero’s Journey

The following guide outlines the 12 steps of the Hero’s Journey and represents a framework for the creation of a Hero’s Journey story template. You don’t necessarily need to follow the explicit cadence of these steps in your own writing, but they should act as checkpoints to the overall story.

We’ll also use JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit as a literary example for each of these steps. The Hobbit does an exemplary job of following the Hero’s Journey, and it’s also an example of how checkpoints can exist in more than one place in a story, or how they may deviate from the typical 12-step process of the Hero’s Journey.

1. The Ordinary World

This stage in the Hero’s Journey is all about exposition. This introduces the hero’s backstory—who the hero is, where they come from, their worldview, culture, and so on. This offers the reader a chance to relate to the character in their untransformed form.

As the story and character arc develop, the reader is brought along the journey of transformation. By starting at the beginning, a reader has a basic understanding of what drives the hero, so they can understand why the hero makes the choices they do. The ordinary world shows the protagonist in their comfort zone, with their worldview being limited to the perspective of their everyday life.

Characters in the ordinary world may or may not be fully comfortable or satisfied, but they don’t have a point of reference to compare—they have yet to leave the ordinary world to gain the knowledge to do so.

Step One example

The Hobbit begins by introducing Bilbo in the Shire as a respectable and well-to-do member of the community. His ordinary world is utopian and comfortable. Yet, even within a village that is largely uninterested in the concerns of the world outside, the reader is provided a backstory: even though Bilbo buys into the comforts and normalcy of the Shire, he still yearns for adventure—something his neighbors frown upon. This ordinary world of the Shire is disrupted with the introduction of Gandalf—the “mentor”—who is somewhat uncomfortably invited to tea.

2. Call to Adventure

The call to adventure in the Hero’s Journey structure is the initial internal conflict that the protagonist hero faces, that drives them to the true conflict that they must overcome by the end of their journey.

The call occurs within the known world of the character. Here the writer can build on the characterization of the protagonist by detailing how they respond to the initial call. Are they hesitant, eager, excited, refusing, or willing to take a risk?

Step Two example

Bilbo’s call to adventure takes place at tea as the dwarves leisurely enter his home, followed by Gandalf, who identifies Bilbo as the group’s missing element—the burglar, and the lucky 14th member.

Bilbo and his ordinary world are emphasized by his discomfort with his rambunctious and careless guests. Yet as the dwarves sing stories of old adventures, caverns, and lineages, which introduce and foreshadow the conflict to come, a yearning for adventure is stirred. Though he still clings to his ordinary world and his life in the Shire, he’s conflicted. Should he leave the shire and experience the world, or stay in his comfortable home? Bilbo continues to refuse the call, but with mixed feelings.

3. Refusal of the Call

The refusal of the call in the Hero’s Journey showcases a “clinging” to one’s original self or world view. The initial refusal of the call represents a fear of change, as well as a resistance to the internal transformation that will occur after the adventure has begun.

The refusal reveals the risks that the protagonist faces if they were to answer the call, and shows what they’ll leave behind in the ordinary world once they accept.

The refusal of the call creates tension in the story, and should show the personal reasons why the hero is refusing—inner conflict, fear of change, hesitation, insecurity, etc. This helps make their character clearer for the reader.

These are all emotions a reader can relate to, and in presenting them through the hero, the writer deepens the reader’s relationship with them and helps the reader sympathize with the hero’s internal plight as they take the first step of transformation.

Step Three example

Bilbo refuses the call in his first encounter with Gandalf, and in his reaction to the dwarves during tea. Even though Bilbo’s “Tookish” tendencies make him yearn for adventure, he goes to bed that night still refusing the call. The next morning, as Bilbo awakes to an empty and almost fully clean hobbit home, he feels a slight disappointment for not joining the party, but quickly soothes his concerns by enjoying the comfort of his home—i.e. the ordinary world. Bilbo explores his hesitation to disembark from the ordinary world, questioning why a hobbit would become mixed up in the adventures of others, and choosing not to meet the dwarves at the designated location.

4. Meeting the Mentor

Meeting the mentor in the Hero’s Journey is the stage that provides the hero protagonist with a guide, relationship, and/or informational asset that has experience outside the ordinary world. The mentor offers confidence, advice, wisdom, training, insight, tools, items, or gifts of supernatural wonder that the hero will use along the journey and in overcoming the ultimate conflict.

The mentor often represents someone who has attempted to overcome, or actually has overcome, an obstacle, and encourages the hero to pursue their calling, regardless of the hero’s weaknesses or insecurities. The mentor may also explicitly point out the hero’s weaknesses, forcing them to reckon with and accept them, which is the first step to their personal transformation.

Note that not all mentors need to be a character . They can also be objects or knowledge that has been instilled in the hero somehow—cultural ethics, spiritual guidance, training of a particular skill, a map, book, diary, or object that illuminates the path forward, etc. In essence, the mentor character or object has a role in offering the protagonist outside help and guidance along the Hero’s Journey, and plays a key role in the protagonist’s transition from normalcy to heroism.

The mentor figure also offers the writer the opportunity to incorporate new information by expanding upon the story, plot, or backstory in unique ways. They do this by giving the hero information that would otherwise be difficult for the writer to convey naturally.

The mentor may accompany the hero throughout most of the story, or they may only periodically be included to facilitate changes and transformation within them.

Step Four example

The mentor, Gandalf, is introduced almost immediately. Gandalf is shown to be the mentor, firstly through his arrival from—and wisdom of—the outside world; and secondly, through his selection of Bilbo for the dwarven party by identifying the unique characteristics Bilbo has that are essential to overcoming the challenges in the journey. Gandalf doesn’t accompany Bilbo and the company through all of the trials and tribulations of the plot, but he does play a key role in offering guidance and assistance, and saves the group in times of dire peril.

5. Crossing the Threshold

As the hero crosses the first threshold, they begin their personal quest toward self-transformation. Crossing the threshold means that the character has committed to the journey, and has stepped outside of the ordinary world in the pursuit of their goal. This typically marks the conclusion of the first act.

The threshold lies between the ordinary world and the special world, and marks the point of the story where the hero fully commits to the road ahead. It’s a crucial stage in the Hero’s Journey, as the hero wouldn’t be able to grow and transform by staying in the ordinary world where they’re comfortable and their world view can’t change.

The threshold isn’t necessarily a specific place within the world of the story, though a place can symbolize the threshold—for example a border, gateway, or crossroads that separate what is safe and “known” from what is potentially dangerous. It can also be a moment or experience that causes the hero to recognize that the comforts and routine of their world no longer apply—like the loss of someone or something close to the hero, for example. The purpose of the threshold is to take the hero out of their element and force them, and the reader, to adapt from the known to the unknown.

This moment is crucial to the story’s tension. It marks the first true shift in the character arc and the moment the adventure has truly begun. The threshold commonly forces the hero into a situation where there’s no turning back. This is sometimes called the initiation stage or the departure stage.

Step Five example

The threshold moment in The Hobbit occurs when the party experiences true danger as a group for the first time. Bilbo, voted as scout by the party and eager to prove his burglar abilities, sneaks upon a lone fire in the forest where he finds three large trolls. Rather than turn back empty-handed—as he initially wants to—Bilbo chooses to prove himself, plucking up the courage to pickpocket the trolls—but is caught in the process. The dwarves are also captured and fortunately, Gandalf, the mentor, comes to save the party.

Bilbo’s character arc is solidified in this threshold moment. He experiences his first transformation when he casts aside fear and seeks to prove himself as a burglar, and as an official member of the party. This moment also provides further characterization of the party as a whole, proving the loyalty of the group in seeking out their captured member.

Gandalf’s position as the mentor is also firmly established as he returns to ultimately save all of the members of the party from being eaten by trolls. The chapter ends with Bilbo taking ownership of his first hero talisman—the sword that will accompany him through the rest of the adventure.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies

Once the hero has crossed the threshold, they must now encounter tests of courage, make allies, and inevitably confront enemies. All these elements force the hero to learn the new ways of the special world and how it differs from the hero’s ordinary world—i.e. how the rules have changed, the conditions of the special world vs. the ordinary world, and the various beings and places within it.

All these elements spark stages of transformation within the hero—learning who they can trust and who they can’t, learning new skills, seeking training from the mentor, and overcoming challenges that force and drive them to grow and transform.

The hero may both succeed and fail at various points of this stage, which will test their commitment to the journey. The writer can create tension by making it clear that the hero may or may not succeed at the critical moment of crisis. These crises can be external or internal.

External conflicts are issues that the character must face and overcome within the plot—e.g. the enemy has a sword drawn and the hero must fight to survive.

Internal conflicts occur inside the hero. For example, the hero has reached safety, but their ally is in peril; will they step outside their comfort zone and rise to the occasion and save their friend? Or will they return home to their old life and the safety of the ordinary world?

Tests are conflicts and threats that the hero must face before they reach the true conflict, or ordeal, of the story. These tests set the stage and prime the hero to meet and achieve the ultimate goal. They provide the writer the opportunity to further the character development of the hero through their actions, inactions, and reactions to what they encounter. The various challenges they face will teach them valuable lessons, as well as keep the story compelling and the reader engaged.

Allies represent the characters that offer support to the protagonist along the journey. Some allies may be introduced from the beginning, while others may be gained along the journey. Secondary characters and allies provide additional nuance for the hero, through interactions, events, and relationships that further show who the hero is at heart, what they believe in, and what they’re willing to fight for. The role of the allies is to bring hope, inspiration, and further drive the hero to do what needs to be done.

Enemies represent a foil to the allies. While allies bring hope and inspiration, enemies will provide challenges, conflicts, tests, and challenges. Both allies and enemies may instigate transformative growth, but enemies do so in a way that fosters conflict and struggle.

Characterization of enemies can also enhance the development of the hero through how they interact and the lessons learned through those interactions. Is the hero easily duped, forgiving, empathetic, merciful? Do they hold a grudge and seek revenge? Who is the hero now that they have been harmed, faced an enemy, and lost pieces of their innocent worldview? To answer that, the hero is still transforming and gestating with every lesson, test, and enemy faced along the way.

Step Six example

As the plot of The Hobbit carries on, Bilbo encounters many tests, allies, and enemies that all drive complexity in the story. A few examples include:

The first major obstacle that Bilbo faces occurs within the dark and damp cave hidden in the goblin town. All alone, Bilbo must pluck up the wit and courage to outriddle a creature named Gollum. In doing so, Bilbo discovers the secret power of a golden ring (another hero talisman) that will aid him and the party through the rest of the journey.

The elves encountered after Bilbo “crosses the threshold” are presented as allies in the story. The hero receives gifts of food, a safe place to rest, and insight and guidance that allows the party to continue on their journey. While the party doesn’t dwell long with the elves, the elves also provide further character development for the party at large: the serious dwarf personalities are juxtaposed against the playful elvish ones, and the elves offer valuable historical insight with backstory to the weapons the party gathered from the troll encounter.

Goblins are a recurring enemy within the story that the hero and party must continue to face, fight, and run from. The goblins present consistent challenges that force Bilbo to face fear and learn and adapt, not only to survive but to save his friends.

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave

The approach to the inmost cave of the Hero’s Journey is the tense quiet before the storm; it’s the part of the story right before the hero faces their greatest fear, and it can be positioned in a few different ways. By now, the hero has overcome obstacles, setbacks, and tests, gained and lost allies and enemies, and has transformed in some way from the original protagonist first introduced in the ordinary world.

The moment when the hero approaches the inmost cave can be a moment of reflection, reorganization, and rekindling of morale. It presents an opportunity for the main characters of the story to come together in a moment of empathy for losses along the journey; a moment of planning and plotting next steps; an opportunity for the mentor to teach a final lesson to the hero; or a moment for the hero to sit quietly and reflect upon surmounting the challenge they have been journeying toward for the length of their adventure.

The “cave” may or may not be a physical place where the ultimate ordeal and conflict will occur. The approach represents the momentary period where the hero assumes their final preparation for the overall challenge that must be overcome. It’s a time for the hero and their allies, as well as the reader, to pause and reflect on the events of the story that have already occurred, and to consider the internal and external growth and transformation of the hero.

Having gained physical and/or emotional strength and fortitude through their trials and tests, learned more rules about the special world, found and lost allies and friends, is the hero prepared to face danger and their ultimate foe? Reflection, tension, and anticipation are the key elements of crafting the approach to the cave.

Step Seven example

The approach to the cave in The Hobbit occurs as the party enters the tunnel of the Lonely Mountain. The tunnel is the access point to the ultimate goal—Thorin’s familial treasure, as well as the ultimate test—the formidable dragon Smaug. During this part of the story, the party must hide, plot, and plan their approach to the final conflict. It’s at this time that Bilbo realizes he must go alone to scout out and face the dragon.

8. The Ordeal

The ordeal is the foreshadowed conflict that the hero must face, and represents the midpoint of the story. While the ordeal is the ultimate conflict that the hero knows they must overcome, it’s a false climax to the complete story—there’s still much ground to cover in the journey, and the hero will still be tested after completing this, the greatest challenge. In writing the ordeal phase of the Hero’s Journey, the writer should craft this as if it actually were the climax to the tale, even though it isn’t.

The first act, and the beginning of the second act, have built up to the ordeal with characterization and the transformation of the hero through their overcoming tests and trials. This growth—both internal and external—has all occurred to set the hero up to handle this major ordeal.

As this stage commences, the hero is typically faced with fresh challenges to make the ordeal even more difficult than they previously conceived. This may include additional setbacks for the hero, the hero’s realization that they were misinformed about the gravity of the situation, or additional conflicts that make the ordeal seem insurmountable.

These setbacks cause the hero to confront their greatest fears and build tension for both the hero and the reader, as they both question if the hero will ultimately succeed or fail. In an epic fantasy tale, this may mean a life-or-death moment for the hero, or experiencing death through the loss of an important ally or the mentor. In a romance, it may be the moment of crisis where a relationship ends or a partner reveals their dark side or true self, causing the hero great strife.

This is the rock-bottom moment for the hero, where they lose hope, courage, and faith. At this point, even though the hero has already crossed the threshold, this part of the story shows how the hero has changed in such a way that they can never return to their original self: even if they return to the ordinary world, they’ll never be the same; their perception of the world has been modified forever.

Choosing to endure against all odds and costs to face the ordeal represents the loss of the hero’s original self from the ordinary world, and a huge internal transformation occurs within the hero as they must rise and continue forth to complete their journey and do what they set out to do from the beginning.

The ordeal may also be positioned as an introduction to the greater villain through a trial with a shadow villain, where the hero realizes that the greatest conflict is unveiled as something else, still yet to come. In these instances, the hero may fail, or barely succeed, but must learn a crucial lesson and be metaphorically resurrected through their failure to rise again and overcome the greater challenge.

Step Eight example

Bilbo must now face his ultimate challenge: burgle the treasure from the dragon. This is the challenge that was set forth from the beginning, as it’s his purpose as the party’s 14th member, the burglar, anointed by Gandalf, the mentor. Additional conflicts arise as Bilbo realizes that he must face the dragon alone, and in doing so, must rely on all of the skills and gifts in the form of talismans and tokens he has gained throughout the adventure.

During the ordeal, Bilbo uses the courage he has gained by surmounting the story’s previous trials; he’s bolstered by his loyalty to the group and relies upon the skills and tools he has earned in previous trials. Much as he outwitted Gollum in the cave, Bilbo now uses his wit as well as his magical ring to defeat Smaug in a game of riddles, which ultimately leads Smaug out of the lair so that Bilbo can complete what he was set out to do—steal the treasure.

The reward of the Hero’s Journey is a moment of triumph, celebration, or change as the hero achieves their first major victory. This is a moment of reflection for both the reader and the hero, to take a breath to contemplate and acknowledge the growth, development, and transformation that has occurred so far.

The reward is the boon that the hero learns, is granted, or steals, that will be crucial to facing the true climax of the story that is yet to come. The reward may be a physical object, special knowledge, or reconciliation of some sort, but it’s always a thing that allows for some form of celebration or replenishment and provides the drive to succeed before the journey continues.

Note that the reward may not always be overtly positive—it may also be a double-edged sword that could harm them physically or spiritually. This type of reward typically triggers yet another internal transformation within the hero, one that grants them the knowledge and personal drive to complete the journey and face their remaining challenges.

From the reward, the hero is no longer externally driven to complete the journey, but has evolved to take on the onus of doing so.

Examples of rewards may include:

A weapon, elixir, or object that will be necessary to complete the quest.

Special knowledge, or a personal transformation to use against a foe.

An eye-opening experience that provides deep insight and fundamentally changes the hero and their position within the story and world.

Reconciliation with another character, or with themselves.

No matter what the reward is, the hero should experience some emotional or spiritual revelation and a semblance of inner peace or personal resolve to continue the journey. Even if the reward is not overtly positive, the hero and the reader deserve a moment of celebration for facing the great challenge they set out to overcome.

Step Nine example

Bilbo defeats the dragon at a battle of wits and riddles, and now receives his reward. He keeps the gifts he has earned, both the dagger and the gold ring. He is also granted his slice of the treasure, and the Lonely Mountain is returned to Thorin. The party at large is rewarded for completing the quest and challenge they set out to do.

However, Tolkien writes the reward to be more complex than it first appears. The party remains trapped and hungry within the Mountain as events unfold outside of it. Laketown has been attacked by Smaug, and the defenders will want compensation for the damage to their homes and for their having to kill the dragon. Bilbo discovers, and then hides, the Arkenstone (a symbolic double edged reward) to protect it from Thorin’s selfishness and greed.

10. The Road Back

The road back in the Hero’s Journey is the beginning of the third act, and represents a turning point within the story. The hero must recommit to the journey, alongside the new stakes and challenges that have arisen from the completion of the original goal.

The road back presents roadblocks—new and unforeseen challenges to the hero that they must now face on their journey back to the ordinary world. The trials aren’t over yet, and the stakes are raised just enough to keep the story compelling before the final and ultimate conflict—the hero’s resurrection—is revealed in the middle of the third act.

The hero has overcome their greatest challenge in the Ordeal and they aren’t the same person they were when they started. This stage of the story often sees the hero making a choice, or reflecting on their transformed state compared to their state at the start of the journey.

The writer’s purpose in the third act is not to eclipse the upcoming and final conflict, but to up the stakes, show the true risk of the final climax, and to reflect on what it will take for the hero to ultimately prevail. The road back should offer a glimmer of hope—the light at the end of the tunnel—and should let the reader know the dramatic finale is about to arrive.

Step Ten example

What was once a journey to steal treasure and slay a dragon has developed new complications. Our hero, Bilbo, must now use all of the powers granted in his personal transformation, as well as the gifts and rewards he earned on the quest, to complete the final stages of the journey.

This is the crisis moment of The Hobbit ; the armies of Laketown are prepared for battle to claim their reward for killing Smaug; the fearless leader of their party, Thorin, has lost reason and succumbed to greed; and Bilbo makes a crucial choice based his personal growth: he gives the Arkenstone to the king as a bargaining chip for peace. Bilbo also briefly reconnects with the mentor, Gandalf, who warns him of the unpleasant times ahead, but comforts Bilbo by saying that things may yet turn out for the best. Bilbo then loyally returns to his friends, the party of dwarves, to stand alongside them in the final battle.

11. Resurrection

The resurrection stage of the Hero’s Journey is the final climax of the story, and the heart of the third act. By now the hero has experienced internal and external transformation and a loss of innocence, coming out with newfound knowledge. They’re fully rooted in the special world, know its rules, and have made choices that underline this new understanding.

The hero must now overcome the final crisis of their external quest. In an epic fantasy tale, this may be the last battle of light versus darkness, good versus evil, a cumulation of fabulous forces. In a thriller, the hero might ultimately face their own morality as they approach the killer. In a drama or romance, the final and pivotal encounter in a relationship occurs and the hero puts their morality ahead of their immediate desires.

The stakes are the highest they’ve ever been, and the hero must often choose to make a sacrifice. The sacrifice may occur as a metaphoric or symbolic death of the self in some way; letting go of a relationship, title, or mental/emotional image of the self that a hero once used as a critical aspect of their identity, or perhaps even a metaphoric physical death—getting knocked out or incapacitated, losing a limb, etc.

Through whatever the great sacrifice is, be it loss or a metaphoric death, the hero will experience a form of resurrection, purification, or internal cleansing that is their final internal transformation.

In this stage, the hero’s character arc comes to an end, and balance is restored to the world. The theme of the story is fully fleshed out and the hero, having reached some form of self-actualization, is forever changed. Both the reader and the hero experience catharsis—the relief, insight, peace, closure, and purging of fear that had once held the hero back from their final transformation.

Step Eleven example

All the armies have gathered, and the final battle takes place. Just before the battle commences, Bilbo tells Thorin that it was he who gave the Arkenstone to the city of men and offers to sacrifice his reward of gold for taking the stone. Gandalf, the mentor, arrives, standing beside Bilbo and his decision. Bilbo is shunned by Thorin and is asked to leave the party for his betrayal.

Bilbo experiences a symbolic death when he’s knocked out by a stone. Upon awakening, Bilbo is brought to a dying Thorin, who forgives him of his betrayal, and acknowledges that Bilbo’s actions were truly the right thing to do. The theme of the story is fully unveiled: that bravery and courage comes in all sizes and forms, and that greed and gold are less worthy than a life rich in experiences and relationships.

12. Return with the Elixir

The elixir in the Hero’s Journey is the final reward the hero brings with them on their return, bridging their two worlds. It’s a reward hard earned through the various relationships, tests, and growth the hero has experienced along their journey. The “elixir” can be a magical potion, treasure, or object, but it can also be intangible—love, wisdom, knowledge, or experience.

The return is key to the circular nature of the Hero’s Journey. It offers a resolution to both the reader and the hero, and a comparison of their growth from when the journey began.

Without the return, the story would have a linear nature, a beginning and an end. In bringing the self-actualized hero home to the ordinary world, the character arc is completed, and the changes they’ve undergone through the journey are solidified. They’ve overcome the unknown, and though they’re returning home, they can no longer resume their old life because of their new insight and experiences.

Step Twelve example

The small yet mighty hero Bilbo is accompanied on his journey home by his mentor Gandalf, as well as the allies he gathered along his journey. He returns with many rewards—his dagger, his golden ring, and his 1/14th split of the treasure—yet his greatest rewards are his experience and the friends he has made along the way. Upon entering the Shire Bilbo sings a song of adventure, and the mentor Gandalf remarks, “My dear Bilbo! Something is the matter with you, you are not the hobbit you were.”

The final pages of The Hobbit explore Bilbo’s new self in the Shire, and how the community now sees him as a changed hobbit—no longer quite as respectable as he once was, with odd guests who visit from time to time. Bilbo also composes his story “There and Back Again,” a tale of his experiences, underlining his greatest reward—stepping outside of the Shire and into the unknown, then returning home, a changed hobbit.

Books that follow the Hero’s Journey

One of the best ways to become familiar with the plot structure of the Hero’s Journey is to read stories and books that successfully use it to tell a powerful tale. Maybe they’ll inspire you to use the hero’s journey in your own writing!

The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien.

The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling.

The Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin.

The Odyssey by Homer.

Siddhartha by Herman Hesse.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Writing tips for the Hero’s Journey

Writing a Hero’s Journey story often requires planning beforehand to organize the plot, structure, and events of the story. Here are some tips to use the hero’s journey archetype in a story:

Use a template or note cards to organize and store your ideas. This can assist in ensuring that you tie up any loose ends in the plot, and that the cadence of your story is already outlined before you begin writing.

Use word count goals for writing different sections of your story. This can help you keep pace while you plan and write the first draft. You can always revise, edit, and add in detail at later stages of development, but getting the ideas written without bogging them down with details can assist in preparing your outline, and may perhaps provide additional inspiration and guidance along the way.

Lean into creativity and be flexible with the 12 steps. They don’t need to occur in the exact order we’ve listed above, but that ordering can offer great checkpoint moments for your story.

Invest in characterization and ensure that your main character is balanced with credible strengths and weaknesses. A perfect, pure hero has no room to grow. A one-dimensional villain who relies on the trope of “pure evil” without any motivations for their actions is boring and predictable.

Ensure tension and urgency is woven into the story. An epic tale to the grocery store for baby formula may still be fraught with danger, and the price of failure is a hungry child. Without urgency, tension, and risk, a Hero’s Journey will fall flat.

Be hard on your characters. Give them deep conflicts that truly test their nature, and their mental, physical, and spiritual selves. An easy journey isn’t a memorable one.

Have a balance of scenes that play on both positive and negative emotions and outcomes for the hero to create a compelling plot line that continues to engage your reader. A story that’s relentlessly positive doesn’t provide a pathway for the hero to transform. Likewise, a story that’s nothing but doom, strife, and turmoil, without a light at the end of the tunnel or an opportunity for growth, can make a story feel stagnant and unengaging.

Reward your characters and your reader. Personal transformation and the road to the authentic self may be grueling, but there’s peace or joy at the end of the tunnel. Even if your character doesn’t fully saved the world, they—and the reader—should be rewarded with catharsis, a new perspective, or personal insight at the end of the tale.

Hero’s Journey templates

Download these free templates to help you plan out your Hero’s Journey:

Download the Hero’s Journey template template (docx) Download the Hero’s Journey template template (pdf)

Prompts and practices to help you write your own Hero’s Journey

Use the downloadable template listed below for the following exercises:

Read a book or watch a movie that follows the Hero’s Journey. Use the template to fill in when each step occurs or is completed. Make note of themes and symbols, character arcs, the main plot, and the subplots that drive complexity in the story.

When writing, use a timer set to 2—5 minutes per section to facilitate bursts of creativity. Brainstorm ideas for cadence, plot, and characters within the story. The outline you create can always be modified, but the timer ensures you can get ideas on paper without a commitment; you’re simply jotting down ideas as quickly as you can.

Use the downloadable template above to generate outlines based on the following prompts.

A woman’s estranged mother has died. A friend of the mother arrives at the woman’s home to tell her that her mother has left all her belongings to her daughter, and hands her a letter. The letter details the mother’s life, and the daughter must visit certain places and people to find her mother’s house and all the belongings in it—learning more about her mother’s life, and herself, along the way.

The last tree on earth has fallen, and technology can no longer sustain human life on Earth. An engineer, having long ago received alien radio signals from a tower in their backyard, has dedicated their life to building a spaceship in their garage. The time has come to launch, and the engineer must select a group of allies to bring with them to the stars, on a search for a new life, a new home, and “the others” out there in the universe.

A detective is given a new case: to find a much-talked-about murderer. The twist is, the murderer has sent a letter to the detective agency, quietly outing a homicidal politician who is up for re-election and is a major financial contributor to the police. In the letter, the murderer states that if the politician doesn’t come clean about their crimes, the murderer will kill the politician on the night of the election. The detective must solve the case before the election, and come to terms with their own feelings of justice and morality.

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8 Key Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey

by Lewis / July 14, 2018 / Character Development

Archetypes are something we experience every day…

An older coworker passing along important tips at your new job or a friend turns out to be talking behind your back. Most of us can recognize these as archetypes, but can we apply these familiar patterns to our fictional worlds and characters? The answer is a resounding yes!

Just as we see these character archetypes mirrored in our own lives, they’ll show up in our storytelling as well. Not only do they provide guidelines for making our characters feel like real people, but they can add a whole new layer of complexity and depth to our stories too.

What Is an Archetype?

• 1 What Is an Archetype?
• 2 Our Case Study: Solo
• 3.1 The Hero:
• 3.2 The Shadow:
• 3.3 The Mentor:
• 3.4 The Ally:
• 3.5 The Threshold Guardian:
• 3.6 The Herald:
• 3.7 The Trickster:
• 3.8 The Shapeshifter:
• 4 Repeat Archetypes and How They Work
• 5 Using Archetypes in Your Own Novel

An archetype is a repeated motif or trait found in storytelling.

Based on that definition, you might initially think of the classic “damsel in distress” or “knight in shining armor” from European fairy tales. Both of these do fall under the umbrella of archetypes, however, these aren’t the archetypes we’ll be exploring here.

Instead, the character archetypes of the Hero’s Journey are universal archetypes, roles all characters can fill at different points along their journey. These archetypes help you flesh out your story with a complete cast, while ensuring no character exists without a purpose.

“The archetypes are part of the universal language of storytelling, and a command of their energy is as essential to the writer as breathing.” – Christopher Vogler, The Writer’s Journey

While most of these ideas originated with Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth and the Hero’s Journey, these eight universal archetypes are actually based on Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey. This book is beyond excellent, and breaks down the ideas of Campbell into a more usable storytelling guide—versus the highly academic The Hero With a Thousand Faces .

Both books are well worth your time, but we’ll be covering Vogler’s description of character archetypes here.

Of course, throughout this article I’ll assume you have at least a basic understanding of the Hero’s Journey. If you’re not familiar with this story structure, then check out my breakdown of the Hero’s Journey here.

Our Case Study: Solo

Rather, Solo is great for studying universal archetypes because each of its characters exhibits archetypal roles in interesting ways. Far from being stereotypes, Solo proves that these universal archetypes are the building blocks for forming unique characters.

For those unfamiliar with the movie, Solo is the origin story of Han Solo from the original Star Wars trilogy—and there will be major spoilers for Solo in this article.

Please enter at your own risk.

If you wish to continue but need a refresher on the plot, check out the Movie Structure Archives entry for Solo. It’ll give you a full breakdown of all the plot points I’ll be referencing here.

The 8 Universal Character Archetypes

You’re likely already familiar with the basics of the Hero archetype. After all, your protagonist will fill this role for most of your story as they overcome their flaws, drive your plot forward, and make important sacrifices.

Ultimately, their decisions will determine the outcome of the Climax .

However, other characters can also wear the Hero archetype at different points in your story. An Ally may become the Hero while your protagonist is incapacitated, or a Trickster may face a sudden change of heart. This dynamic allows other characters to temporarily take the spotlight and fulfill important story functions or resolve subplots.

In our case study, Han Solo fills the role of the Hero, though various Allies such as Val also fill it under special circumstances.

This makes sense because—beyond being on all the posters—this is Han’s journey. He grows the most from beginning to end, and is the catalyst for the movie’s progression. When the cast gets into a tight spot with Dryden Vos, it’s Han’s choices that propel them into the conflict. Not only that, but he is who the audience identifies with the most, meaning he checks all the boxes of the Hero archetype.

Of course, because the Hero is such a central archetype, it also has a whole host of specific traits and trials that go along with it. For more on the Hero’s character arc, check out this article.

The Shadow:

Just as the Hero archetype aligns with your protagonist, the Shadow is linked to your antagonist. This archetype seeks the antithesis of your Hero’s goals, often the destruction of what the Hero wishes to preserve.

Essentially, the Shadow embodies the dark aspects of the Hero.

The Shadow is meant to personify the suppressed wounds and inner struggles that the Hero will need to overcome—and this is why antagonists are often called “foil characters.” They’re a warning about what your protagonist will become if they fail to learn.

Of course, just like many characters can act as the Hero, many characters take on aspects of the Shadow. Your Hero may behave like the Shadow in moments. Allies, Heralds, and Threshold Guardians may do so as well, allowing you to create depth in characters that have thus far served only one purpose.

In Solo, Dryden Vos—from his name to his appearance and demeanor—screams antagonist. Because of this, it’s fairly obvious that Vos serves as the Shadow for most of the story.

However, he’s not the only character who plays this role.

While it’s easy to see Vos as the Shadow, Qi’ra actually fills this archetype in an even more crucial way. You see, Qi’ra’s role as a Shadow is intrinsically tied to Han’s character arc. Both begin from the same place and both are seeking to escape to a better life, but where Han’s journey molds him into a Hero, Qi’ra becomes a Shadow. This is a powerful contrast, and one we’ll be returning to later in the article.

The Mentor:

Acting as the Hero’s main guidance throughout their journey, the Mentor comes in many forms, but they always serve a critical purpose.

An elderly woman giving a soon-to-be bride a magic mirror to see the true face of her new husband or a veteran sports coach training young players both embody the Mentor archetype. This archetype is there to equip the Hero through knowledge, encouragement, and skills that allow them to overcome the conflict of the story and eventually surpass their flaws.

Of course, Mentors are a great opportunity to add depth to a story.

Because of this, Mentors often take on aspects of Threshold Guardians as Heroes prove their worth in exchange for help. Meanwhile, Shadow Mentors may seem to guide the Hero while actually misleading them—sometimes maliciously, sometimes mistakenly.

For example, while Han works under the guidance of a variety of Mentors throughout Solo , Tobias Beckett fills this role most often. He guides Han in how to deal with Vos, he teaches Han about this new world of crime, and he encourages Han at every step to leave it. Tobias clearly wears the mask of the Mentor archetype, but we’ll be coming back to him soon, as that isn’t the only archetype he wears.

The third of the well-known archetypes, Allies are seen in every story.

After all, Heroes need a friend to lean on, someone to lighten the load of the journey or to practice their growing skills with. That’s the role of the Ally, seen through characters like Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings , or Toto in The Wizard of Oz .

Because of how broad this archetype is, it serves many functions and can take on the aspects of many other archetypes. An Ally might act as a Mentor or may descend into a period of being a Shadow or Trickster. Thanks to this complexity, Allies are a great tool for humanizing your Hero, relieving tension, and furthering explore your story’s themes through subplots.

Fortunately, Ally archetypes are usually easy to identify, and primary Ally for Han is Chewbacca.

Audiences knew Chewie well before the story of Solo began, and he has served the same Ally role throughout the Star Wars series. Chewie is someone for Han to banter with and rely on, and he ends the movie as Han’s only lasting companion. While other characters such as Lando and Qi’ra wear the Ally archetype for only a short period of time, Chewie remains an Ally archetype for the entirety of Han’s life.

The Threshold Guardian:

Often an aspect of the Shadow, Threshold Guardians are there to represent the fears of your Hero and to challenge them as they progress along their journey. Of course, much like the midterm exams you may have had in school, Threshold Guardians aren’t the final test. Still, without your Hero proving they’ve mastered their new skills, these Guardians will prevent them from reaching their final test at all.

While Threshold Guardians are often henchmen of the Shadow, Mentors and Allies can also fulfill this role. For example, an Ally who has second thoughts about their quest might challenge the resolve of your Hero, forcing them to overcome their own doubts to convince their uncertain ally.

One of the primary Threshold Guardians on Han’s journey—though there are many—is a familiar character: Tobias Beckett.

Beckett’s role as a Threshold Guardian cannot go understated, and he actually embodies this role before he takes on the mantle of Mentor. When Han is struggling to get out of the Imperial Army, Tobias refuses to allow him into his gang and even gives him up to Imperial forces as a traitor. Fortunately, Han is persistent, and proves his value to the gang through his quick thinking. Only after he proves himself does Tobias allow him to join, fulfilling the role of the Threshold Guardian.

The Herald:

The Herald’s name gives away much of its function—your story’s Herald is there to give the Call to Adventure, to foreshadow the coming conflict, and to warn the audience that your Hero’s Ordinary World will soon fall away.

Based on this description, the Herald may sound like another aspect of the Shadow, and it certainly can be. However, it can also be a positive force, such as the spitfire young girl who coaxes the lonely bounty hunter out of his shell in, True Grit .

In Solo , the Herald is a character we’ve mentioned before.

From the start of Han’s journey, his mission has been the same—go back for Qi’ra. When he gets caught up with Beckett and his gang, this is still his focus. However, when he finally finds Qi’ra again, she’s not the scrappy child he remembers. This Qi’ra is powerful, elegant, respected, and under the frightening control of Vos.

Suddenly the dynamics of Han’s journey have shifted, and he can no longer live with the “one-day” mentality he had previously been had. His goal becomes urgent and firmly focused on the present, all thanks to Qi’ra’s role as the Herald.

The Trickster:

Next up, we’ll be looking at the Trickster archetype. A classic comedy character seen in sidekicks from a variety of genres, Tricksters are a great way to manage the pace your story. These moments of comedy relieve the tension built up by more action-packed moments, letting your readers take a moment to breathe.

Used in reverse, Tricksters are also great at increasing the weight of key scenes.

A character that’s been light-hearted throughout your story can suddenly turn serious as they approach the Climax. Your readers will take notice, and will soon find themselves anxiously wondering about what’s to come. If this previously comedic character is suddenly changing their tune, then the stakes of the adventure must be rising.

Serving as the Trickster in Solo , we have another repeat character from the original Star Wars trilogy: Lando Calrissian, along with his droid L3-37.

They provide the audience with plenty of antics and absurdities, lightening the mood between darker segments. For periods of the story Lando also serves as an Ally, but his true alliance is always with himself. Fortunately this isn’t malicious and is instead played for laughs, making him a strong Trickster character.

The Shapeshifter:

If you like to fill your stories with suspense you likely have one—if not many—important Shapeshifter characters.

Like the example of the traitorous friend we talked about at the start of this article, the Shapeshifter shows a different face when looked at from different angles. Seductresses, both sexually and in other ways, work to trick the Hero by presenting an alluring offer to their problems while seeking to trap or defeat them when they aren’t looking.

Shapeshifters aren’t always Shadows either.

For instance, the Hero may believe they have an Ally only to find a Shadow, leaving them betrayed and confused. Other times the Shapeshifter may start out as a Shadow, before becoming an Ally later on. This flexibility lets you layer the Shapeshifter archetype into existing characters to create suspense and tension in your story.

Unfortunately for Han, one of his key allies and his Mentor both embody the Shapeshifter archetype, causing suffering on two fronts. For starters, Beckett spends much of the movie acting as a pseudo father-figure, only to betray Han to Vos. This forces Han to kill Beckett to save himself and Chewie, robbing him of his Mentor figure.

Qi’ra engages in a similar betrayal after killing Vos. Han believes he has achieved his goal and that the pair can finally be together, but Qi’ra reveals her allegiance to the Sith and abandons Han. Her betrayal is arguably even more painful for Han than Beckett’s, as it robs him of everything he’s worked towards on his journey.

Repeat Archetypes and How They Work

By this point in the article, you may be wondering…

Why does Qi’ra show up in so many of these archetypes?

Well, to a large extent, this is a sign of how complex her character is. At its core,  Solo is about Han and Qi’ra’s shared journey. While Han takes the traditional Hero’s path, Qi’ra represents the failed Hero.

In Qi’ra’s desperation to improve her life, she accepts the horrible actions committed by herself and other to gain power in exchange for using that power to protect herself. While the Climax sees Han letting go of his past and adhering to his moral compass, Qi’ra gives into her inner struggle, choosing security at the expense of happiness.

Ultimately, her archetypal roles reflect her struggle against herself. In the end, power and safety are more important than anything else—she’s suffered too much to make any other choice.

Using Archetypes in Your Own Novel

Like many other aspects of story structure , the archetypes of the Hero’s Journey are a guide—and as you’ve seen, they can be combined to create an infinite cast of characters. To help manage this complexity, I would recommend thinking of these archetypes in terms of primary and secondary archetypes.

• Primary Archetype:  the main role the character embodies for the majority of their story.
• Secondary Archetype: the other, smaller archetypal roles they play during specific moments.

Each character has a primary archetype, such as the Mentor, and at different stages of the journey will wear secondary archetypes, such as the Trickster.

From there, if you feel someone is missing from your cast of characters, look at what archetypes aren’t represented. Likewise, if your cast feels bloated, look for characters with repeated archetypes you can remove or combine into one. As we’ve seen, individual characters can serve many archetypal roles, making extraneous characters often unnecessary.

Above all, I would recommend reading up on both the work of Joseph Campbell and Christopher Vogler. Each of them have a lot to offer, and they go into much more detail than I can here.

How do these archetypes appear in your own story? Let me know in the comments!

Thoughts on 8 key archetypes of the hero’s journey.

I’ve always thought that Qi’ra chooses safety in the end, yes, but is also a hero because she saves Han. She takes all eyes off of him and buys his freedom by absorbing responsibility.

Thanks for this.

I loved how detailed these descriptions are. I can see I need to learn more about shapeshifters and my first thought is going to be taking one of the antagonists in my story and shifting them over to being an ally character. This is going to be interesting.

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The Hero’s Journey, the Shadow, and Energetic Bodies: An Interview with Matthew Pallamary

Posted by David Wilder | Jul 30, 2018 | Interviews | 0

In order to find out how to do that, we spoke with Matthew Pallamary, author of the book The Center of the Universe Is Right Between Your Eyes But Home Is Where the Heart Is . In our conversation, Matthew offers insight into the traditional “Hero’s Journey” myth, the so-called “dark side” of the ego, and how we can learn to respond more effectively to upsetting situations by balancing our energetic bodies.

In your most recent book, you make the point that all stories can be understood in terms of the Hero’s Journey. Can you explain what that means?

The “Hero’s Journey” comes from Joseph Campbell, who was an amazing mythologist. Through his studies he found that every story actually follows the Hero’s Journey myth. He wrote a wonderful book called The Hero with a Thousand Faces , which analyzed various cultures all across the world, and found that absolutely every culture in the world tells stories that have the exact same elements. If you look at the most popular stories of our present age, like Star Wars , Harry Potter , and The Lord of the Rings , they all follow the Hero’s Journey exactly. The hero starts off as a normal person and then something upsets the balance, sending them on a quest to reset the balance. During the quest, the hero has to face his or her deepest, darkest fears. While facing them, he or she dies and is reborn as a man or a woman of power. One of the key aspects of shamanism is the journey to the underworld. In South American shamanism it’s referred to as getting swallowed by the jaguar. In other cultures, they get taken to the underworld and they get dismembered or decapitated. This is the same thing that happens in psychedelic work. By facing the shadow and then integrating the experience, the person can become a hero. Every story has all of those exact same elements, although sometimes the order is changed around a bit. And story is our deepest and longest-standing cultural archetype. It’s a key element and cornerstone of who we are, what we are, and how we perceive the world.

In addition to the negative parts of ourselves, you covered how positive aspects can also be hidden in the shadow, which was something I had never really considered before.

That’s right. When you’re three years old, you might get inspired to draw the greatest mural on one of the walls in the house. Your mom could come home and spank you for screwing up the wall. But you were just expressing an impulse. You weren’t thinking about destroying the wall, you were just following this artistic bliss. After being disciplined for that, you may develop an aversion to art, stifling your artistic impulses because of that experience.

What about the negative aspects of the dark side?

If you continue on the psychedelic path, you’ll eventually start to come up against things hidden in your shadow, and you might realize that the strategy that you’ve used to avoid them all your life doesn’t work anymore. Hiding the negative aspects of yourself in your shadow or dealing with them in some weird way is another example of stifling something that’s really a part of who you truly are.

It’s always good to try to be yourself and try to be authentic.

Exactly. And you’ve got to spend your lifetime trying to figure out who that is. People often say, “Destroy your ego.” Don’t do that. Instead, give it a new job. Your ego is actually trying to protect you.

I think the first time I heard the concept that your shadow is also your protector was when I read the chapters Ann Shulgin wrote in PiHKAL .

Ann actually pushed me into the shadow stuff even deeper when I was writing my memoir, Spirit Matters . She would give me advice on what to write about and how to do it. In fact, all the stuff I wrote in that book about shadow was actually inspired by Ann Shulgin. I used to love hanging around with the Shulgins. When we’d go to Palenque, Sasha and I would trade bad puns for hours and Ann would inspire me with her knowledge of psychology. They were a big influence on me.

Their work had a big influence on me too. In your book, you make the point that by truly paying attention, we can develop what is called “witness consciousness” and discover the meaning of the expression “Where your attention goes, there your energy goes.” How would you describe witness consciousness?

This is the crux of the book. According to Gurdjieff, we come into the world as “essence,” meaning “spirit.” After birth, we begin to develop a personality, which we need to function in the world. Personality is ego. We end up identifying with it and thinking that we are our ego, but we’re actually not! Instead, each person is the creator of his or her ego, which goes out of its way to protect and defend them. People take a part of themselves that they’re denying and they end up seeing it in other people. Sometimes they’ll project it onto other people so they don’t see it in themselves. Anybody in someone’s life who really drives them crazy, where they find themselves judging or hating them—that’s the shadow! As you continue to do this work, becoming more aware of each and every moment, you will gradually start to catch your own sub-personalities popping out. A sub-personality may not go away completely after catching it the first time—it can keep coming back if there is a very deeply ingrained habit. But when you start to recognize and own it, instead of abandoning it, you can welcome it home and strengthen your witness consciousness. Sometime later, you may find find yourself in a situation with somebody who used to really make you angry, and all of a sudden you see yourself. Then you can recognize that you were also that way in the past, and instead of judging them, you gain compassion for them because you understand their behavior. In a sense, you’ve caught yourself at the scene of a crime you committed in the past. The goal is not perfection, because it never ends. The goal is wholeness—a balancing of the energetic bodies.

What are the various energetic bodies?

We have three basic energetic bodies: the physical body, the emotional body, and the intellectual body. Some people tend to be intellectually centric. When somebody else says or does something to them, they’ll immediately respond with their intellect. After that, they might get emotional about the situation before actually taking action. On the other hand, a person who is physically centric might hear something they don’t like and respond by hitting someone. In that case, they go right into their physical body and carry out an attack, followed by feeling bad about what they’ve done and then retreating to their intellect in an attempt to explain what they did. These things can all happen in different orders and generally we all tend to lean on one or more of these bodies than the others. High-level athletes tend to be movement-centric people. This is a big generalization, but women are generally more emotionally centered people. Brainiacs are intellectually centered. They use their intellect to control and perceive their world to the detriment of the other two energetic bodies, which are always trying to catch up. And there are further complications. For example: the energy of the emotional body moves quicker than the other energetic bodies, so it’s harder to try to control and understand. The goal is to develop the ability to respond to situations with all three at the same time. That enables you to be present and in the moment, truly and fully aware. In that moment, you’re not distracted by what might happen, what did happen, or what could happen—you are here and now. And that’s where reality really happens.

We are very grateful to Matt for sharing his insights and experience with us. You can check out his website and new book here .

About The Author

David Wilder

David Wilder is a writer covering topics like psychedelics, spirituality, technology, and self-development for Psychedelic Times, MERRY JANE, Reality Sandwich, Kahpi, and his blog ThinkWilder.com. When he’s not glued to a computer screen, he can be found reading science-fiction, dancing to live music, and trying to keep the plants in his garden alive.

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ARCHETYPES OF THE ‘HERO’S JOURNEY’

What is Hero’s Journey?

The Hero’s Journey or the Monomyth is a template for storytelling that contains the elements of mythical narrations. Mostly studied through works of Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung, Hero’s Journey or Monomyth shows that the narration techniques and character archetypes have numerous similarities throughout the history of narration/storytelling. Hero’s Journey starts with an opportunity presenting itself to the hero to go on an adventure and ends with him/her being changed or transformed. Within this type of narration there are 8 common character archetypes. All 8 of these archetypes serve a different purpose and enrich the story in their own way.

What are 8 Common Character Archetypes?

They are, in order they’re commonly listed; Hero, Mentor, Ally, Herald, Trickster, Shapeshifter, Guardian and Shadow. It is important to keep in mind that these archetypes are not specific in gender, race or age.

Let’s take a look at each character archetype’s characteristics and purpose. In order to understand the archetype’s role better and provide continuity in explanation, examples will be provided for each archetype from Harry Potter Series (J.K Rowling, 1997-2007).

HERO: Hero is the audience’s way into the story. We go along on the same journey the hero is set out to and we see everything from Hero’s point of view. It is important for Hero to be relatable because when the opportunity to go on the adventure arises, Hero will have to make choices that he/she has never encountered before. During the adventure audience must trust them and root for their future success. Hero isn’t always the protagonist, it is the central character in the story. Harry Potter is one of the most recent and fitting examples for The Hero.

MENTOR: As soon as Hero decides to take on the adventure, everything will change. They have to adapt quickly to the new environment and circumstances. Here Mentor comes to aid. Mentor helps Hero by giving them advice, support and gifts. In this stage generally, Hero doesn’t have the necessary tools to confront what’s coming so Mentor provides them with whatever’s necessary. Mentor is also the one who keeps the story moving. At first, Hero can be reluctant to accept the task and continue but Mentor convinces them to keep going. Professor Dumbledore is the Mentor for Harry Potter.

ALLY: The dangers of the chosen path are often almost impossible to face alone. Ally accompanies Hero on their journey providing them with whatever help they need. Sometimes they distract, sometimes they offer knowledge and sometimes they prove their worth by extreme acts of loyalty. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley are the Allies for Harry Potter.

HERALD: Herald is the messenger of the new world, new adventure. They inform the hero of the possibility of a new world; a world Hero has never known existed. Without Herald’s invitation Hero wouldn’t have chosen to go to the adventure in the first place. Since he is the one informed Harry about a new world with the famous line “You are a wizard Harry.” , Hagrid is the Herald in the story.

TRICKSTER: Trickster adds humor to the story. When things are dark and intense, Trickster provides a much-needed comedic relief but most importantly Trickster challenges the existing condition. They are the ones who provide a new way of looking at the situation and offer a different point of view often causing conflict/confusion for the Hero. Dobby, the Elf is a perfect example of Trickster archetype.

SHAPESHIFTER: Shapeshifter is the character constantly moves between ally and enemy throughout the story. They may start off as an enemy and then shift to Hero’s side or vice versa. We can never be sure of their loyalty until the end, maybe ever. They are often charismatic, add complications and appeal to the story. They provide the story with interesting elements to play with. Severus Snape is the Shapeshifter of Harry Potter series, which is revealed to us in the very end. Just like this example, the threat he represents and certain charisma he has can be emphasized over and over again causing uncertainty for the Hero and the audience.

GUARDIAN (THRESHOLD GUARDIAN): Right before Hero takes on the adventure, Guardian is the one that tests them. They are the obstacle. They inform Hero on the possible dangers of the path they’re about to choose and advise them not to go through that path. They are not necessarily enemies, but they are there to stop the Hero from fulfilling their fate. Hero would have to trick or defeat them to continue. Harry Potter’s relatives Vernon and Petunia Dursley serve as Guardians for the series’ story development.

SHADOW: They are usually the villain of the story. They give Hero something to fight against, something to overcome. They create conflict, challenge the Hero and give them a reason to improve and change. This change may not always be positive because in a way Shadow portrays a possible version of the Hero. If Hero goes down the wrong way, makes wrong decisions, they can become the very thing they’re fighting against. This is generally a dramatic reveal that adds dimension to the story by showing Hero’s internal struggle. Harry Potter’s Shadow is Lord Voldemort. Harry Potter was literally a piece of him that he didn’t mean to create.

OTHER ARTICLES

HOW TO WRITE A STRONG DIALOGUE WHICH IS MEMORABLE & REALISTIC

HOW TO OVERCOME A WRITER’S BLOCK

The 8 Character Archetypes

Have you noticed that various films and stories have somewhat similar characters? Sometimes they even have similar features? For example, isn’t it strange that Gandalf from Lord of the Rings and Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter are way too alike? Well, then you might have heard of the 8 archetypes.

No, it is not strange that characters from films are so similar to each other. This is because these characters represent aspects of human nature in every story. They reflect human experience and universal motifs. And you can find a lot of that in films and TV. In fact, most characters fit 8 universal archetypes.

So in this article, we will go into detail on each of these character archetypes, provide examples from films, and how you can incorporate them into your story.

What are Archetypes?

The term archetype derives from the theory of psychoanalysis developed by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung. In his words, the archetype is a “primitive mental image inherited from the earliest human ancestors, and supposed to be present in the collective unconscious.” 

With the rise of analytical psychology in the past 50 years, many archetype-related theories developed. Different theories might suggest different numbers of archetypes present; same say there are only 4, others would argue that there are 22 different archetypes. 

However, the 8 primal archetypes used the most in film & TV stories were developed by the godfather of modern storytelling theory Joseph Campbell. In The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Campbell explores eight characters in the hero’s journey.

These 8 archetypes are the:

• Shapeshifter

We will explore each archetype in-depth and give examples of these characters from Star Wars and The Dark Knight .   Two films that use the 8 archetypes masterfully .

The 8 Archetypes of the Hero´s Journey

1. the hero.

The Hero is essentially your protagonist. This is the character that your story will be impossible without. For your story to be complete, your hero needs to leave the ordinary world and embark on an adventure (both physical and metaphorical) that will help him or her grow and develop. This is a universal storytelling structure that is also known as a monomyth. 

The hero archetype is usually a personification of goodness, justice, and kindness. As an audience, you want your hero to succeed because you truly believe in their mission and perhaps even see yourself in the character. Because aren’t we all heroes of our own lives? Don’t we constantly try to become the better versions of ourselves?

There are two keys to writing a character with a Hero archetype. 

First and foremost, the hero must possess a strong, primal goal. If you want the audience to empathize with your hero, this goal needs to be universal – something that we can all refer to. For instance, a desire to survive, protect your family or win the heart of someone you love. 

The second vital aspect is to give your hero an internal struggle, also known as a heroic flaw. As humans, we all possess a quality that sometimes prevents us from manifesting our goals. Giving your hero character an obstacle will make an overall journey more challenging and interesting for the audience to watch. 

Is it some insecurity or fear of consequences that stop them from releasing their true potential? Or is it pride and arrogance that overinflate their ego and prevent them from action? You decide what internal obstacles will make your hero’s journey more challenging and what will help your hero grow throughout. 

If you are interested in learning more about Hero’s Journey in relation to the 8 archetypes, check out our Introductory article on Hero’s Journey . 

Star Wars: Luke Skywalker 

Luke is the protagonist of the original trilogy and the one who receives his call for an adventure. With the help of his mentor, Obi-Wan, Luke Skywalker leaves the known world of his home planet and embarks on a journey to save the princess and eventually the entire galaxy. First, however, to become the best version of himself and accomplish his goal, he needs to become a Jedi Master. 

The Dark Knight: Bruce Wayne (Batman)

By day Bruce is Gotham’s beloved playboy billionaire; by night, he leads a secret life of a vigilante known as Batman. His goal is to maintain justice in the city by fighting criminals. Batman’s journey in The Dark Knight begins when Joker (the Shadow archetype) starts causing issues and threatens the balance that Batman has brought into Gotham. Now, Bruce Wayne sets on an adventure to fight an adversary, restore the balance in his city, and learn for himself what real justice means. 

2. The Mentor

The Mentor figure is one of the most important characters in the story, which essentially helps the protagonist to set out for an adventure. This archetype is also known as the Wise Old Man. 

These mentor figures are the ones that contribute towards the intellectual development of the protagonist and give useful advice on how to proceed through their journey based on their own experience. Often, they have been in the same position as the hero in their past. Therefore they demonstrate a self-fulfilled version of the hero in the future. 

The Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi 

Obi-Wan is a vivid example of a mentor archetype in the original Star Wars. He appears in Luke’s life when the hero receives his call for an adventure and initiates him into ways of the force.

Like a wise grandfather, Obi-Wan shares his ancestral knowledge of Jedi Knights and gives Luke his amulet/weapon (a symbol of initiation), the lightsaber. Throughout their journey to the Death Star, Obi-Wan gives Luke important advice on how to proceed and what decisions to make until Obi-Wan loses his life. The loss of a mentor figure becomes a vital part of Luke’s growth and his establishment as a hero. 

The Dark Knight: Alfred Pennyworth

Alfred is another evocative example of the mentor figure. He is the manifestation of loyalty and wisdom that has watched Bruce Wayne growing up and supporting him on every stage of his journey to becoming Batman. Throughout the film, Alfred gives Bruce wise advice and tools to defeat Joker and restore justice that this havoc has brought. 

3. The Shadow

The Shadow Archetype is also known as an antagonist. It is your villain of the story. These characters are the manifestation of a physical obstacle for your protagonist. However, sometimes these villains have noble causes and are not that evil after all. Therefore if your protagonist is a villain or an anti-hero, expect a good guy to be their shadow. 

In Jungian psychoanalysis, the shadow consists of repressed ideas, emotions, and traumas. The hero can not complete the journey unless the shadow is faced, fought, and integrated. 

Star Wars: Galactic Empire / Darth Vader

The shadow of the Star Wars Universe is the Galactic Empire (that represents an entire institution of malice). However, it is largely manifested through Darth Vader. He is the tyrant and a master of Dark Force. He is the main obstacle that Luke must face to defeat the Empire and restore order in the universe. 

( Spoiler Alert: things get even more complicated when it turns out that Darth Vader is Luke’s father.)

The Dark Knight: Joker. 

Joker is one of the greatest antagonists ever created. The Joker is so feared and loved that he is an example of an ideal shadow archetype. Joker represents an absolute chaotic madness that completely challenges the order that Batman has been establishing in Gotham. He represents the uncertainty and madness of the world that Bruce Wayne has been trying to fight and suppress for so long. 

4. The Ally

The ally is the side-kick character who assists the hero on their adventure. Very often, these characters provide comic relief or develop their own secondary storyline known as a B-storyline. In addition, these characters often complement the hero with a particular quality or skill. For example, if the hero possesses a sharp intellect but does not know how to fight, the ally better possesses fighting skills. 

Traditionally, there is more than one ally. Each one of the characters is incredibly different from one another, which sometimes creates internal/ally conflict, comic relief among the 8 archetypes and reinforces the power that Hero’s group possesses. 

On a mythological level, of the 8 archetypes, the ally acts as proof that the purpose of the hero’s quest is universal. In other words, other forces support the mission and therefore reinforce the importance of the journey. 

The Star Wars: Chewbacca, C3PO, Princess Lea & more. 

An ensemble of multi galactic species, droids, and humans helps Luke on the journey. They add authenticity to the story, make the overall quest memorable and universal, and all work towards the common goal: restoration of balance in the universe. 

The Dark Knight: Rachel Dawes, James Gordon, Lucius Fox & more. 

Each ally in The Dark Knight is also a physical embodiment of a theme or tool. Rachel is Bruce’s love interest, which symbolizes his longing for an ordinary life, and therefore adds fuel to the internal struggle. James Gordon is an embodiment of justice in a classical sense; his failures challenge our ideas of justice and complexifies Batman’s journey. Lucius Fox is a manifestation of technological power that tends to be a tool for Batman but eventually becomes an obstacle. 

5. The Guardian

The guardian often acts as another obstacle for the hero on the way to accomplish their quest and manifest their destiny. The guardian archetypes usually protect a secret, treasure, or the final MacGuffin of the story. 

Traditionally, the guardian characters were mythological creatures, such as dragons, minotaurs, wizards, and other deadly beasts. In the modern storytelling theories, the guardian characters might not necessarily be the adversary (however, very often they are), but they are there to protect the hero and warn them of the dangers of the adventure. Thus, for the hero to pass by the guardian and continue the adventure, there needs to be a trick, tool, or skill that will be able to pacify them.

The Star Wars: Storm Troopers

Similar to Darth Vader, they are the extension of the evil in the galaxy. They are the army of bad guys who oppose Luke & his squad to restore peace in the galaxy. Storm Troopers usually appear as obstacles to the heroes and initiate the fight when the latter are so close to achieving a particular goal. 

The Dark Knight: Criminals & Civilians

On the one hand, it is the group of Joker’s associates who prevent Batman from getting to Joker. They are obstacles that protect the desired target of Batman. On another note, Gotham’s civilians understand Batman as a symbol of vigilante justice and do not want his identity to be revealed. These two kinds of guardians further amplify Batman’s internal struggle.

6. The Shapeshifter

The Shapeshifter is a character that has a double-sided agenda and changes throughout the story together with the hero. These characters are usually the sidekicks and have questionable morals. 

Shapeshifters are also known as outlaws or anti-heroes. They often betray the hero and their cause, or in contrast, appear as an unexpected source of help. They also bring suspense to the stories and constantly make the viewers question their judgments. 

The Star Wars: Han Solo

Even though Han Solo is one of the main characters, as a viewer, you never really know whose side he is fighting on until the very end. At first, Han Solo is introduced to the viewers as a cynical, ego-centric, and selfish smuggler. However, as the plot unfolds itself, we truly see Han Solo’s growth and desire to be the better version of himself. Han Solo has a hero’s journey of his own. 

The Dark Knight: Harvey Dent (Two-Face)

Harvey Dent is one of the most compelling and complicated characters in the film. On one side, he is the White Knight, a promising leader that Gotham needs. On another hand, after the loss of his loved one, he becomes the epitome of hatred and anger. Structurally, he shape-shifts after he becomes the burn victim. Visually, his shape-shifter quality is depicted through his Two-Face appearance (one side burnt, the other is not). His actions are dictated by a mere chance of throwing a coin, which further amplifies his shape-shifting quality. 

7. The Trickster

Of the 8 archetypes, the trickster is the character that challenges the overall status quo of the story. The trickster’s main function is to test the protagonist. This archetype appears in mythologies from all around the world. This character breaks the established rules of gods, deities, and rulers, sometimes maliciously yet with ultimately positive effects. Trickster pulls pranks, uses deceits, humor, and sarcasm to eventually shed light on the truth. 

The Star Wars: Master Yoda

Yoda tricks Luke Skywalker into believing that he is not a Jedi master that Luke has been looking for but a senile swamp creature. Throughout their interaction, Yoda tests Luke and makes him question the overall status quo of his journey. When Luke passes Yoda’s challenges and tricks, Yoda reveals his true self and continues educating Luke in the mastery of the force, but now as a mentor figure. 

The Dark Knight: Coleman Reese / Joker

Coleman is an employee of Wayne’s enterprise and seems like an unimportant character (he only appears in the film three times). However, he has an important function in the overarching plot. He finds out the true identity of Batman and is ready to reveal it to the world. He tricks Lucius Fox and Bruce Wayne and demands millions of dollars to keep his mouth shut. On the other hand, Joker can also be considered as the Trickster.

Even though his primary function is that of a shadow to Batman, the original meaning of Joker in the card deck relates to the archetypal notion of the Fool (a.k.a. trickster). Joker is the one to constantly question Batman’s and Gotham’s morals potentially for the universal benefit of everyone. If you see Joker as both the shadow and trickster, this is an example of how characters in some stories might embody two archetypes or more. 

8. The Herald

The herald archetype is a character or event that begins the hero’s journey. In other words, Herald can be the inciting incident itself or a messenger that comes to the hero to start the adventure. 

The Star Wars: R2-D2

R2-D2 is the resourceful droid and also is the herald in the original Star Wars. Essentially, its main function is to deliver the message to Luke Skywalker, sent to him by Princess Lea. R2 becomes the physical manifestation of the Call to Adventure, as he delivers the hologram with the hidden message. The droid, later on, becomes the hero’s ally, joining Luke on his journey and providing a lot of useful resources. 

The Dark Knight: Gotham 

Gotham itself is the most likely candidate for the archetype of the Herald in The Dark Knight , even though it might not be so obvious at first. The inciting incident is essentially Joker sending the message out that enables Batman to reveal his identity; otherwise, people will start dying. The city itself starts responding in offbeat and peculiar ways.

It is the reaction of both civilians and the criminals that enable Bruce Wayne to begin this journey, involving Harvey Dent as the White Knight of Gotham and Joker’s havoc. This is a great example that proves that in many stories, the location (a.k.a the arena) can be the character of itself and sometimes possess archetypal qualities. 

In Conclusion

Now that you are familiar with these 8 archetypes from the Hero´s Journey, you can apply this knowledge when you actively watch a film or work on a screenplay of your own. 

Sometimes, these archetypes are hard to distinguish as some of the characters can possess two archetypes (e.g. Joker being both the Shadow and the Trickster), but usually, you will be able to spot them quite easily. Understanding what function each one of the archetypal characters plays will help you to distinguish them. 

Knowing these archetypes will help you understand your story’s characters more but perhaps even understand yourself and the people that surround you. Remember, the archetypes represent recurring motifs and aspects of universal human experiences. Thus you can apply this archetypal knowledge to your own life. 

• Testimonials

Shapeshifter Archetype | Who is the Shapeshifter? Examples and Use

• by Andrea Feccomandi
• November 19, 2023

The concept of the Shapeshifter archetype ( What is an archetype? ) has long fascinated and intrigued humanity.

This mysterious and elusive archetype represents the ability to transform and adapt , embodying the essence of change.

In this article, we will explore the characteristics and the role in the storytelling of the Shapeshifter archetype and delve into examples of this archetype in literature, cinema, and pop culture.

SHAPESHIFTER ARCHETYPE DEFINITION What is a Shapeshifter archetype? The Shapeshifter archetype in storytelling is a character who is ambiguous or changeable in nature, often creating uncertainty or doubt about their true intentions or allegiances. They can shift their beliefs or loyalties, keeping both characters and audiences guessing about their true identity or motives.

Shapeshifter archetype characteristics

Shapeshifters, central to storytelling, are dynamic characters defined by adaptability and changeability .

Their remarkable ability to shift form and appearance aligns seamlessly with diverse situations, underscoring their fluid and changeable nature. Resonant with a chameleon’s adaptive prowess , Shapeshifters effortlessly blend into surroundings, navigating varied environments with ease.

Beyond surface-level transformations, shapeshifting holds symbolic significance , serving as a metaphor for profound shifts—be they psychological, emotional, or situational. This adds depth to their character, portraying more meaningful internal changes.

The Shapeshifter’s essence thrives on ambiguity and dual nature . Motives and true identity remain shrouded, contributing to an inherent sense of mystery. This duality extends to relationships, blurring lines between friend and foe, ally and antagonist.

The role of the Shapeshifter archetype in storytelling

Shapeshifters play an important role in storytelling, introducing suspense and unpredictability . Their unique ability to change form keeps both characters within the narrative and the audience on edge, constantly questioning their true motives and allegiances .

The narrative landscape is transformed into a testing ground for trust , where characters must grapple with their capacity to trust the Shapeshifter. Shifting roles and appearances, the Shapeshifter subverts traditional character tropes, injecting freshness into the storytelling by challenging stereotypes and expectations .

Beyond their physical metamorphosis, Shapeshifters symbolize profound change and transformation . Serving as catalysts, they propel characters to adapt to new circumstances, confront their fears, biases, and preconceptions, and undergo significant growth . Interactions with Shapeshifters propel the narrative forward, unveiling unexpected alliances, motivations, and betrayals that keep the audience engaged.

One of the Shapeshifter’s narrative functions is to blur the lines between morality , challenging conventional standards of good and evil. Their ambiguous nature adds moral complexity to the story, presenting a deceptive facade that challenges perceptions and creates intrigue.

In genres like fantasy or speculative fiction, Shapeshifters contribute to world-building by introducing magical or supernatural elements. They enrich the story’s setting and cultural dynamics, enhancing the overall immersive experience.

Even antagonistic forces gain a humanized dimension through Shapeshifters. When not in their intimidating forms, Shapeshifters may reveal vulnerable or relatable aspects, adding depth to the conflicts within the story.

Relations between the Shapeshifter and other archetypes

The Shapeshifter archetype interacts dynamically with various other archetypes, contributing to intricate narrative relationships. Here are the relations between the Shapeshifter and key archetypes.

Hero  vs Shapeshifter archetype

The Hero engages in a dynamic relationship with the Shapeshifter, who serves as a constant challenge, testing the Hero’s ability to distinguish reality from illusion. This dynamic often adds layers of complexity to the Hero’s journey, introducing conflicts and obstacles.

The Shapeshifter can reflect the Hero’s internal struggles, embodying aspects of the Hero’s own capacity for change or deception.

Mentor  vs Shapeshifter archetype

The Mentor archetype provides valuable guidance to the Hero in navigating the complexities presented by the Shapeshifter. Offering insights into the nature of transformation and ambiguity, the Mentor and Shapeshifter may collaborate, combining wisdom and adaptability to influence the Hero’s growth.

Shadow  vs Shapeshifter archetype

The Shapeshifter and the Shadow archetype may engage in an antagonistic relationship, where the Shapeshifter’s inherent ambiguity contrasts with the Shadow’s more overt malevolence. Alternatively, in certain narratives, the Shapeshifter and Shadow may collaborate to create challenges that test the Hero’s resolve.

Ally  vs Shapeshifter archetype

The Ally’s perception of the Shapeshifter varies, viewing them either as a supportive figure aiding the Hero’s progression or as a hindrance that needs overcoming. This dynamic significantly influences the Hero’s journey, adding layers of complexity to alliances and relationships.

Trickster  vs Shapeshifter archetype

The Trickster archetype introduces disruption by challenging the Shapeshifter’s role, disrupting expected dynamics, and creating chaos. Role reversals may occur, with the Trickster’s unpredictable nature turning the Shapeshifter into a figure to be outsmarted.

Threshold Guardian  vs Shapeshifter archetype

The Shapeshifter can serve as an obstacle at the narrative threshold, introducing challenges that test the Hero’s readiness. Similar to the Hero, the Threshold Guardian may see reflections of their inner struggles mirrored in the Shapeshifter, creating a connection between these archetypes.

Herald vs Shapeshifter archetype

The Shapeshifter’s transformative nature can Herald impending changes or challenges in the Hero’s journey, serving as a precursor to significant plot developments.

Shapeshifter (Self) vs Shapeshifter archetype

Interactions between Shapeshifters highlight their shared adaptability, creating a dynamic landscape where trust and alliances can be fleeting. Shapeshifters may either clash due to their similarities or collaborate, forming alliances based on mutual understanding.

The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are. Joseph Campbell

Tips for introducing the threshold guardian archetype in a story

Introducing the Shapeshifter archetype in a story requires finesse to create intrigue and depth. Here are some tips.

1. Gradual revelation

Instead of immediately unveiling the Shapeshifter’s abilities, reveal them gradually. Allow the audience to uncover this unique trait over time, building anticipation and curiosity.

2. Symbolic transformations

Use shapeshifting as a metaphor for broader transformations. Connect the character’s physical changes to internal struggles, emotional growth, or the evolving narrative. This adds layers to the character’s journey.

3. Personal struggles

Dive into the personal struggles of the Shapeshifter. Explore the toll that constant transformation takes on their sense of self, mental well-being, or relationships. This vulnerability humanizes the character.

4. Ambiguous motives

Keep the motives of the Shapeshifter ambiguous. Create an air of mystery around their actions and decisions, leaving room for interpretation. This ambiguity adds complexity and keeps the audience engaged.

5. Dual Nature dilemmas

Explore the challenges and dilemmas arising from the Shapeshifter’s dual nature. This could involve internal conflicts, struggles with identity, or the tension between loyalty and betrayal. Use these dilemmas to drive the plot forward.

6. Contrasting forms

Showcase contrasting forms that the Shapeshifter can assume. Highlight how these forms serve different purposes or convey distinct aspects of their personality. This contrast emphasizes the versatility of the archetype.

7. Alliance and betrayal

Utilize the Shapeshifter’s ability to form alliances or betray characters. This unpredictability adds tension and keeps other characters—and the audience—on their toes.

8. Impact on relationships

Explore how the Shapeshifter’s abilities impact relationships within the story. This could involve trust issues, emotional connections, or the challenges of forming genuine bonds when appearances can be deceiving.

9. Foreshadowing

Employ foreshadowing to hint at the Shapeshifter’s presence early in the story. Drop subtle clues that something is not as it seems, creating anticipation for the eventual revelation.

10. Cultural or mythological context

Infuse cultural or mythological elements into the Shapeshifter archetype. Grounding their abilities in a broader context adds depth and resonance to their character.

11. Consequences of discovery

Consider the consequences when the Shapeshifter’s abilities are discovered. This revelation should have repercussions, affecting the dynamics of the story and the relationships between characters.

12. Role in key scenes

Strategically place the Shapeshifter in key scenes where their abilities can have the most impact. Use these moments to propel the plot, create suspense, or reveal crucial information.

Shapeshifter archetype examples

The Shapeshifter archetype has found its way into various storytelling mediums, captivating audiences across different forms of media.

In literature, the character of Gollum from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “ The Lord of the Rings ” embodies the Shapeshifter archetype. Gollum’s transformation from a hobbit-like creature into a twisted and corrupted being mirrors the internal struggle between good and evil.

Another iconic example is the character of Severus Snape from the Harry Potter series . Initially perceived as a villain, Snape reveals his true allegiance, showcasing the transformative nature of the Shapeshifter archetype.

Lewis Carroll’s “ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ” introduces the Cheshire Cat, a whimsical creature with the ability to appear and disappear at will, leaving only its distinctive grin behind. This character embodies the unpredictable and fantastical nature often associated with shapeshifters.

In film and television, the character of Tyler Durden from “ Fight Club ” exemplifies the Shapeshifter archetype. Tyler’s charismatic and enigmatic nature masks his true intentions, making him an intriguing and unpredictable figure.

The vampire characters in the Twilight series can shapeshift into wolves, highlighting the Shapeshifter archetype’s connection to transformation and hidden abilities.

The character of Sam Merlotte of “ True Blood ” can transform into a dog, showcasing the Shapeshifter archetype’s connection to animals and primal instincts.

Use bibisco novel writing software to create your Shapeshifter

Shapeshifters serve as narrative catalysts, driving suspense, challenging norms, and enriching the storytelling experience. So, a good Shapeshifter is crucial for the success of the story.

Thanks to the innovative character development tools of bibisco novel writing software , you will understand how to craft a Shapeshifter character. With this archetype, you could hit the viewer or the reader with a twist at the moment of its revelation. 

The Shapeshifter archetype has captivated audiences for centuries with its ability to transform, adapt, and challenge our perceptions. From ancient mythology to modern pop culture, this archetype continues to shape and enrich storytelling.

By embodying duality, fluidity, and unpredictability, shapeshifting characters add depth, intrigue, and suspense to narratives. Whether they are heroes, villains, or something in between, Shapeshifters remind us of the complexities of the human experience and the ever-changing nature of our identities .

The shapeshifter archetype belongs to the archetypes defined by Campbell. Additionally, explore 12 Jungian archetypes .

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Hero’s Journey: 12 Steps, Examples, Use Cases

• Post author By Punit Thakkar
• Post date January 7, 2024

Once you’ve decided that you need to Outline your story before you start writing the screenplay, you will need to choose between the various storytelling structures out there. The three-act structure as a narrative breakdown can be applied to almost any story. But to further breakdown your story in beats, certain storytelling frameworks can be quite useful. One such framework is the Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell.

Who is Joseph Campbell?

Joseph Campbell (1904–1987) was an American mythologist, writer, and lecturer best known for his work in comparative mythology and his exploration of the hero’s journey. Campbell’s most influential work is the concept of the monomyth or the hero’s journey. This was the result of his examination of common patterns and themes found in the myths and legends of various cultures throughout history.

What is the Hero’s Journey?

In 1949, Campbell published his book “ The Hero with a Thousand Faces “. In this seminal work, he examined common patterns and themes found in the myths and legends of various cultures throughout history. The phrase “Hero’s Journey” suggests that myths and stories from different cultures often follow a similar narrative structure. The hero typically embarks on an adventure, faces challenges and trials, undergoes a transformation, and returns home changed. It was later popularized by screenwriter, Christopher Vogler, in his book “ The Writer’s Journey “. Vogler condensed the principles into a 12-step framework.

12 Steps of The Hero’s Journey

Let’s take a look at each of the 12 steps that you can use to outline your story. To illustrate the same, we’ll be using the application of this concept with a movie where the filmmaker was famously inspired by the Hero’s Journey template while writing his film ie. Star Wars (1977).

1. Ordinary World

The hero begins in their familiar environment, often characterized by routine and unawareness of the larger journey. This setting establishes the baseline for the hero’s growth.

Application : Luke Skywalker resides on the desert planet Tatooine, leading a mundane life as a farm boy.

2. Call to Adventure

An external event or internal desire disrupts the hero’s ordinary life, presenting an opportunity or challenge that sets the journey in motion. The call often introduces a quest or a significant change.

Application : Obi-Wan Kenobi invites Luke to join him in the quest to deliver the Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance.

3. Refusal of the Call

Faced with uncertainty, fear, or a sense of duty to the familiar world, the hero hesitates or rejects the call initially. This reluctance adds depth to the hero’s internal conflict.

Application : Luke hesitates to leave Tatooine, citing responsibilities and family ties.

4. Meeting the Mentor

A mentor figure appears, providing guidance, wisdom, or supernatural aid. The mentor equips the hero with the tools or knowledge necessary for the journey.

Application : Obi-Wan becomes Luke’s mentor, introducing him to the Force and encouraging his journey.

5. Crossing the Threshold

The hero decides to leave the ordinary world, venturing into the unknown or a special world. This crossing represents a commitment to change and growth.

Application : Luke, with Obi-Wan, departs Tatooine and enters the larger galaxy.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies

The hero encounters challenges, forms alliances with companions, and faces adversaries. These experiences shape the hero’s character and prepare them for more significant trials.

Application : Luke, Han Solo, and Princess Leia face various trials, forming alliances and encountering Imperial forces.

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave

The hero approaches a central challenge or a crucial location that holds the key to their quest. This stage builds anticipation and sets the stage for the ordeal.

Application : The Rebel Alliance plans to attack the Death Star, a critical mission.

The hero undergoes a severe trial, facing the most significant danger or fear. This moment tests the hero’s resolve and marks a pivotal point in the journey.

Application : Luke participates in the Battle of Yavin, aiming to destroy the Death Star amidst intense opposition.

Following the ordeal, the hero reaps a reward, gains new insight, or achieves success. This stage highlights the hero’s growth and the tangible or intangible benefits of the journey.

Application : Luke successfully destroys the Death Star, earning recognition and hero status.

10. The Road Back

The hero begins the journey back to the ordinary world, often encountering new challenges or facing the consequences of their actions. This stage introduces the final hurdles.

Application : The Rebels regroup and plan their next moves after the Death Star’s destruction.

11. Resurrection

The hero faces a final, life-altering test, representing a symbolic death and rebirth. This transformative experience solidifies the hero’s evolution.

Application : Luke confronts Darth Vader and the Death Star’s destruction leads to a symbolic rebirth.

12. Return with the Elixir

The hero returns to the ordinary world, bringing back the elixir—a tangible or metaphorical boon gained during the journey. This stage showcases the hero’s ability to contribute positively to the ordinary world.

Application : Luke returns to Tatooine, having become a skilled pilot and a key figure in the Rebel Alliance.

As we saw, Star Wars follows the Hero’s Journey with Luke Skywalker as the protagonist. From his ordinary life on Tatooine to the battles against the Empire and the ultimate confrontation with Darth Vader, the film adheres to the monomyth structure.

Use Cases: Stories Tailored for Hero’s Journey

One of the common beliefs around this template is that it typically applies to fantasy and adventure genres. While those genres are more naturally suited, the Hero’s Journey is equally applicable to different kinds of movies. It is particularly useful for stories that fall within the following genres or themes:

Fantasy and Adventure

The Hero’s Journey is frequently employed in fantasy tales where characters embark on epic quests. Examples include “The Lord of the Rings,” “Harry Potter,” and “The Chronicles of Narnia.”

Coming-of-Age Stories

Many coming-of-age narratives use the Hero’s Journey to depict a character’s maturation and self-discovery. Films like “The Karate Kid” and “Stand by Me” exemplify this application.

Science Fiction Epics

Stories set in futuristic or otherworldly settings often utilize the Hero’s Journey. “Star Wars” and “The Matrix” showcase how this structure can be applied in the science fiction genre.

Mythology and Legends

The Hero’s Journey is deeply rooted in mythology and is thus well-suited for stories inspired by ancient myths and legends. Examples include adaptations of Greek myths or Arthurian legends.

Quest Narratives

Any story that involves a quest, whether it’s a literal journey or a metaphorical one, can benefit from the Hero’s Journey structure. “Indiana Jones” and “The Odyssey” are classic examples.

Superhero Origin Stories

Many superhero origin stories align with the Hero’s Journey as characters discover their powers, face adversaries, and undergo personal growth. Examples include “Spider-Man,” “Wonder Woman,” and “Black Panther.”

Historical and Period Dramas

Even in stories set in historical or period settings, the Hero’s Journey can be applied. Films like “Braveheart” and “Gladiator” showcase protagonists facing significant challenges and transformation.

Character-Driven Dramas

While traditionally associated with more fantastical genres, the Hero’s Journey can also be adapted for character-driven dramas. Movies like “Forrest Gump” and “The Pursuit of Happyness” demonstrate this versatility.

Let’s take a look at one such example using the poignant, “non-heroic” drama written by Greta Gerwig ie. Ladybird.

Ladybird – Hero’s Journey

1. The Ordinary World : Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson navigates her senior year in high school in Sacramento, California. Dissatisfied with her surroundings and yearning for something more, she grapples with the challenges of adolescence.

2. Call to Adventure : Lady Bird desires to escape Sacramento and attend college on the East Coast, envisioning it as the key to a more fulfilling life beyond her current circumstances.

3. Refusal of the Cal l: Lady Bird’s family faces financial struggles, and her dream of attending an expensive East Coast college seems unattainable. She initially grapples with the reality of her family’s limitations.

4. Meeting the Mentor : Sister Sarah Joan, Lady Bird’s school principal, becomes a mentor figure, encouraging her to pursue her dreams and offering guidance.

5. Crossing the Threshold : Lady Bird applies to colleges in New York, symbolizing her venture into a world beyond Sacramento and her family’s constraints.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies : Lady Bird navigates friendships, romance, and conflicts with her family, forming alliances with friends like Julie and facing challenges that shape her character.

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave : Lady Bird’s relationships face challenges as she experiences heartbreak, and she confronts the reality of her family’s financial struggles.

8. Ordeal : Lady Bird’s relationship with her mother reaches a breaking point, leading to a confrontation that forces both to confront their feelings and expectations.

9. Reward : Lady Bird gains insight into her identity and aspirations, realizing the value of her family and the impact of her choices.

10. The Road Back : Lady Bird leaves Sacramento for college, symbolizing her journey back into the world with newfound wisdom and self-discovery.

11. Resurrection : Lady Bird’s return home prompts reconciliation and understanding with her family, particularly her mother, as they navigate the complexities of love and acceptance.

12. Return with the Elixir : Lady Bird’s return home marks a resolution, bringing a sense of acceptance and understanding, not only for herself but also for her family.

In Lady Bird, the Hero’s Journey is elegantly woven into the fabric of a coming-of-age story. It captures her challenges, growth, and self-discovery inherent in the journey from adolescence to adulthood, offering a nuanced exploration of identity, family dynamics, and the pursuit of dreams.

Exceptions: Not Every Plot Fits the Hero’s Journey

Whilst the Hero’s Journey is a flexible template and can be adapted to various genres and themes, it might not be the best fit for certain stories; especially the ones that intentionally subvert traditional narrative structures, focus solely on ensemble casts without a clear central protagonist, or explore experimental storytelling methods. Here are a few examples:

Experimental Films

Experimental films often prioritize unconventional storytelling methods, abstract concepts, and non-linear narratives. In such cases, the traditional stages of the Hero’s Journey may not be evident, as these films may prioritize artistic expression over a structured plot.

Example: Koyaanisqatsi (1982) Directed by Godfrey Reggio, “Koyaanisqatsi” is an experimental documentary film that uses time-lapse photography and innovative editing techniques to depict the relationship between humans, nature, and technology. The film doesn’t follow a traditional narrative structure or a hero’s journey but rather offers a visual and auditory exploration of its themes.

Documentaries

Some documentaries aim to capture real-life events, explore social issues, or provide informative content. The Hero’s Journey, with its focus on fictional characters and their transformative arcs, may not align with the goals of documentary filmmaking.

Example: Grizzly Man (2005) Directed by Werner Herzog, this documentary explores the life and death of Timothy Treadwell, who lived among grizzly bears in Alaska. The film is a character study and examination of nature, presenting real-life events without following a fictional hero’s journey.

Slice-of-Life Dramas

Movies that focus on depicting everyday life without a central conflict or clear protagonist’s journey might not adhere strictly to the Hero’s Journey structure. The emphasis is often on realism and capturing ordinary moments rather than a hero’s transformative adventure.

Example : Boyhood (2014) Directed by Richard Linklater, “Boyhood” is a coming-of-age film that spans over 12 years, following the life of a boy named Mason. The film captures ordinary moments in Mason’s life without a traditional central conflict, showcasing the challenges and joys of growing up.

Art House Cinema

Art house films often prioritize artistic expression, symbolism, and unique narrative structures. These films may not follow a traditional hero’s arc, as the focus might be on creating an emotional or intellectual experience rather than a clear, linear narrative.

Example: Mulholland Drive (2001) Directed by David Lynch, this enigmatic film is known for its surreal and dreamlike narrative. Lynch weaves a complex story with multiple layers, challenging conventional storytelling structures and incorporating elements of psychological horror and mystery.

Episodic or Anthology Films

Films with episodic or anthology formats, where multiple stories or vignettes are presented, might not follow a single hero’s journey across the entire film. Each segment may have its own thematic or narrative structure.

Example: Pulp Fiction (1994) Directed by Quentin Tarantino, “Pulp Fiction” is famously known for its non-linear narrative and multiple interconnected storylines. Each segment features different characters and situations, creating an anthology structure rather than following a single hero’s journey.

Certain Comedy Films

While many comedies incorporate elements of the Hero’s Journey, certain slapstick or purely situational comedies may prioritize humor over a structured hero’s arc. The primary goal is to generate laughs rather than guide the protagonist through a transformative journey.

Example: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, this comedy classic is a parody of the Arthurian legend. The film is known for its absurd humor, satirical elements, and episodic structure, deviating from a traditional hero’s journey while delivering comedic brilliance.

Non-Narrative or Abstract Films

Films that lean heavily on visual aesthetics, abstract concepts, or non-narrative structures may not adhere to the Hero’s Journey. The focus is on evoking emotions or exploring themes through visuals rather than following a traditional story arc.

Example: Samsara (2011) Directed by Ron Fricke, this non-narrative documentary is a visual and musical journey through various cultures and landscapes. The film emphasizes stunning imagery and thematic exploration without a conventional plot or character-driven narrative.

These examples showcase the diversity of writing styles and genres that deviate from the traditional hero’s journey. There’s no one-size-fits-all. It’s important to know the technique that suits your style, be it Hero’s Journey or alternative frameworks like Save The Cat , Dan Harmon’s Story Circle , or any other. If none of those particularly suit you and you would still like to outline, you can create your custom template . Scrite allows you to use existing templates or create or own. You can download the app to get started for free.

• Tags 12 steps heros journey , chris vogler , heros journey , joseph campbell , ladybird , ladybird story structure , storytelling structure , writers journey

• 21 aug. 2023
• 4 minuten om te lezen

The Hero’s Journey: Archetype Series, Part 5 – Shapeshifter

Bijgewerkt op: 1 sep. 2023

The Hero’s Archetype series continues with the Shapeshifter archetype.

This series focuses on the Hero’s Journey Archetypes as described in The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler.

For the previous parts, check out:

The Hero archetype

The Mentor archetype

The Threshold Guardian archetype

The Herald archetype

The Shapeshifter Archetype

Story function, types of shapeshifters.

As the name says, the nature of the Shapeshifter is to be shifting and unstable. When you look closely at the Shapeshifter, the appearance and characteristics change.

A Shapeshifter is often the hero’s love interest or a romantic partner. Many of us will have experienced relationships with a two-faced or very changeable partner.

A Shapeshifter can change in different ways, such as appearance or mood. They’re difficult for the hero to read, and the shifters can mislead the hero. Their loyalty or sincerity is often questionable.

This is where things get a bit gender- ish . But, originally, the Shapeshifter functions as the “male” energy in the female subconsciousness (and vice versa). It’s the combination of all the positive and negative views women have of masculinity. In psychology, it’s called the animus (you can forget this, though).

There’s also a counterpart of this where the “female” energy is in the male subconsciousness. So, the positive and negative views men have of femininity. That one is called anima (again, you don’t have to remember that).

Generally, people have a balance of both male and female qualities; there’s an internal balance. At least, that’s what the theory portrays.

However, because of pressures from, for instance, society, the female qualities have been suppressed in men. Likewise, women are taught to play down their masculine qualities. This creates an imbalance in the energies, which can cause emotional and sometimes even physical problems.

We can see a movement nowadays, where men are reclaiming their more feminine qualities (e.g., sensitivity, expressing emotions), and women are striving to show more male qualities (e.g., power and assertiveness).

As I said, we have repressed qualities within us. These repressed qualities are manifested as characters. So, the Shapeshifter is like an unconscious projection of the thing your Hero represses.

For instance: the Hero may project their ideal image of a romantic partner on a person. The Hero may fall in love without having seen this person clearly.

Say your Hero is a female, and they have repressed their masculinity. They might project this masculinity on their romantic partner: they see this partner as powerful, assertive, muscular, tough, etc. But that doesn’t mean that the romantic partner actually possesses all these qualities.

Have you ever been in a relationship where you tried to fit your partner into your ideal? Or had a partner who tried to change you? Then you get what I mean.

The Shapeshifter archetype is a catalyst of change, a symbol of the urge to transform. Whether it’s positive or negative depends on your story. The Hero might change attitudes or come to terms with their repressed energies by dealing with a shapeshifter.

The Shapeshifter archetype serves as the bringer of doubt and suspense.

If you think, for instance, of a romantic story, the Hero might question the shapeshifter: will he remain faithful to me? Does he really love me?

Or, more generally, is this person an ally or an enemy?

A common shapeshifter type is the femme fatale. You’ve probably seen it in thrillers or detectives: a woman who is a temptress or a destroyer. This is an archetype we can trace back to one of the biggest stories ever: the Bible. Eve is a femme fatale, for instance. A more contemporary example would be a detective who gets betrayed by a killer woman.

Don’t let the name fool you, though: the femme fatale can also be a man—a hommes fatale. Zeus is definitely one. He literally changes shape to come to earth and do the dirty deed with human maidens. These maidens usually ended up suffering because of it.

The fatale aspect is not always necessary for this type of shapeshifter; they may only dazzle and confuse the hero. Killing is not necessary.

Shapeshifting can show up literally when a character changes appearance. Think of a change of costume or hairstyle (e.g., Sansa from Game of Thrones. She constantly shifted her allegiance/attitudes towards others, shown in her hairstyle). But changes can also be more subtle, such as in behavior or speech, like different accents or telling a lot of lies.

As is always the case: the Shapeshifter’s mask can be worn by multiple characters, and which characters are Shapeshifter archetypes can also change. The Hero may also wear the mask of a shapeshifter, for instance, in a romantic situation. Haven’t we all pretended we were a little bit better than we were to impress someone?

Sometimes it’s also necessary for the Hero to become a Shapeshifter to get past the Threshold Guardian. You can see this happening in Sister Act, where the Hero disguises herself as a nun in a Catholic church.

Villains or their allies may also become Shapeshifter if they want to seduce or confuse the hero. It’s also prevalent in the archetypes of Mentors and Tricksters . Merlin, from King Arthur, often changes shape to aid Arthur.

Wrapping up

That’s it for the Shapeshifter archetype of the Hero’s Journey. It’s a bit of a difficult one to grasp, but it helps to spot it in other stories. Whatever you do, don’t get too caught up in the psychology behind it. It’s all just theory, after all.

Continue with the Shadow archetype here.

Recente blogposts

The Hero’s Journey: Archetype Series, Part 3 – Threshold Guardian

The Hero’s Journey: Archetype Series, Part 4 — The Herald Archetype

The Hero’s Journey: Archetype Series, Part 7 – The Ally