Joseph Campbell’s 1949 book The Hero With a Thousand Faces was published. It outlined a monomyth, the hero’s journey, that would be passed down through generations. This template could then be used to create thousands of stories. It’s not hard to see why the hero’s story is so popular. Why is this so popular? It is one of the most significant monomyths in the history and evolution of cinema. We can see why by looking at different films across eras, genres, and how it has been interpreted. It is a mirror of the growth process that all humans go through to become adults. The call to adventure is the first step on the hero’s path. Christopher Vogler, an ex-Disney executive, said that the call for adventure is when “the hero faces a problem, challenge or adventure.” The call to adventure is when the hero finds himself in a situation where he or she must adapt to a new challenge or problem. The tornado in The Wizard of Oz (1939) is the signal that the hero must go on an adventure. Dorothy is bored in Kansas and a tornado hits. It literally transports her to her adventure. Star Wars (1977). Luke Skywalker’s discovery of R2D2 is the catalyst for her adventure. Luke is bored at Tatooine when suddenly a droid comes along with a message. It’s from a princess that Obi-Wan Kenobi needs to help her. Luke becomes intrigued by the mystery figure and sets out to find it. The Matrix (1999): Neo, bored at work, opens mysterious packages and finds a mobile phone. When he answers, Morpheus speaks to him and tells him to get out of the office. No matter where they live, these heroes share one thing: They are familiar with everything, even the mundane. They long to get out of that familiarity. They are in this way like many teenagers. The next step is refusing the call. This is when the hero refuses to leave his or her comfort zone to embark on an adventure. The hero may decide that, whatever the reason, he orshe prefers to stay home. Star Wars’ Luke Skywalker refuses to travel with Obiwan Kenobi to Alderaan in search of Princess Leia. He refuses to answer the call, displaying the turmoil and conflict in his character. Luke desires to travel to Alderaan. But he is unable to do so because his family responsibilities are greater than any personal adventure. Neo hears Morpheus calling him and telling him how to get outside the building. We see Neo making a decision about whether to believe the voice on his cellphone. Simba refuses return to pride stone and accepts his fate as king in The Lion King (1994). They all share one thing: their hero is reluctant and hesitant to embark on an adventure. Many people can relate and resist leaving their comfort zone to go on adventures. This might explain why the hero is so popular. The hero would not be as relatable if he or she was fearless at all times. We all have anxiety about going away from home.
The mentor is the next step on the journey. He or she provides guidance to the hero in how to use their special abilities. This is an important step because it can often force the hero’s reluctance to change. This is when Obi-wan Kenobi meets Luke. The Matrix Neo overcomes reluctance to accept Morpheus’ help. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) is where Bilbo Baggins finally meets Gandalf. Gandalf gives Bilbo the knowledge and confidence to succeed in Middle Earth. Again, this is an incredibly relatable part in the hero’s story. Everyone will need guidance after leaving home to grow and survive. This mentor can be either a professor or a boss. No matter the circumstance, everyone is mentored in some way at one point in their lives.
The most important part of a hero’s story is the ultimate ordeal, that big confrontation or fight. Star Wars’ iconic lightsaber battle between Luke Skywalker (Darth Vader) is this. Agent Smith is Neo in The Matrix’s final battle. The Lion King’s final fight between Neo and Agent Smith is what makes the movie complete. The hero must not only defeat the opponent but also fear and doubts in order to survive the greatest ordeal. Luke has doubts about Darth Vader’s father. Neo is afraid that Agent Smith will not defeat him. Simba has been afraid of Scar all his life. Scar is also a threat to his father. These doubts and fears are what make the most of this terrible ordeal. Even though most of us won’t be fighting a losing battle, many of us can relate once we have left home to overcome fear and doubt. Some people find the most difficult part of college admission. Others find it difficult to get the job they want. No matter what the situation, we can all relate to heroes who overcome major obstacles.
The return is part three of the hero’s epic journey. This is where the hero returns home, often to a rebuilt homeland. The Death Star’s explosion causes Luke Skywalker to return to his planet. It is Neo’s return with the people he saved in The Matrix. The Lion King also has it happen when Simba is freed from Scar and accepted his rightful role as king of his newly restored country. The return to a homeland once lost is not always the same for us. This isn’t to say that we are always transformed in the same manner as those heroes. Maybe it’s after college when we have more experience. We may also return from a job change with more confidence. No matter what, we always come back transformed after growing.
People also love the hero’s adventure because their change is not as dramatic. We wish that we could be as creative as Neo, Bilbo, Neo and Dorothy. Although we wish we could we are not able to. Instead, we observe their journey and try to understand it.
