1. The Hero’s Journey

2. 1. The Call to Adventure: the hero/main character gets the call or “itch” to do something new * the hero moves from the A) KNOWN (the ordinary world) to the B) UKNOWN (the sacred world)

3. 2. Supernatural Aid: the hero sometimes refuses the call at first and is “pushed” or helped by someone or something powerful or magical

4. Helpers and Guides

5. 3. Threshold: hero has to cross some kind of barrier when they start the journey. * could be an obvious physical dividing point/marker or may be an internal struggle 4. Threshold Guardians: try and stop or test the hero from going beyond this point

6. 5. Helper: friend(s) who aid the hero on the journey; may follow the hero Mentor: guides the hero and possesses knowledge that will help the hero during the journey

7. The mentor may give the hero a gift (weapon, amulet, knowledge, power) to aid the hero in his quest.
At some point in the journey, the hero must be separated from the mentor so that he must stand-alone and prove himself.

8. 6. Challenges and Temptations: tasks the hero must complete on the journey

9. Transformation The hero MUST change during the course of his journey.
Sometimes the change is very dramatic and the hero will transform physically or will die and be reborn as a new and better person.
The real victory comes when he learns about humanity and has true understanding.

10. These stories are about change
These stories are about change. The hero goes through a Transformation, often through a death/rebirth sequence (signifying the new person that emerges). The death and rebirth can happen anywhere in the story and is usually symbolic (though it can be literal).

11. Journey Hell/Death & Rebirth
Hero descends into a hell-like area (land of the dead?). His return is like returning from the dead. Symbolically goes where normal humans can’t and finds truth about self.
The hero may just die symbolically or people may think he’s dead for a while.
The hero is always on some type of adventure with a purpose--a quest if you will. He experiences many things on this quest, among which is a descent into a kind of "hell." In this hell he experiences a low point in his life that leaves him scarred forever with a real or psychological wound that will not heal. The hero learns from this descent into "hell" much about himself and usually matures greatly from the experience.
Luke in Star Wars perhaps illustrates this stage best. His quest, without knowing it at first, is to rescue his father from the dark side of the Force. Luke's descent into hell occurs when he decides to rescue his friends trapped on Cloud City, Lando Calrissian's gas mining operation. He leaves his Jedi training before it is completed to perform this rescue. Luke is not prepared to face Darth Vader, who is waiting for him at the gas mine.
Check this out. This scene (above right) is in the carbon-freeze chamber on Cloud City, where Darth plans to trap Luke. Does the lighting and characters remind you of anything? Thought so. In the duel that takes place between Luke and Darth in this chamber and beyond (right), Luke loses his hand and chooses to jump to almost certain death rather than give in to Vader's proposal to join the dark side of the Force. Luke's loss of his right hand in the duel is his Unhealable Wound. Clearly, this is the lowest point in Luke's journey to become a Jedi Knight and save his father. His wound and this low point teach him about himself, however, and eventually help him to become a true hero.
Other heroes suffer low points in their journeys. Arthur never recovers from the affair Guinevere has with Lancelot. William Wallace knew his execution would make him a martyr, so he was courageous as he was in his "hell"--the dungeon. Moses' doubt of himself and Yahweh cause him to suffer his Unhealable Wound: denial of entry to the Promised Land. Simba's descent into "hell" is combined with his defeat of Scar and the hyenas. Remember all the flames in the background as he fights Scar? He symbolically goes where none of the other lions could go in order to help his tribe and prove himself. Simba's Unhealable Wound? His past, where his courage failed him and his tribe, will always haunt him.

12. Apotheosis Hero is rewarded spiritually at the end of his life
He has a better understanding of the world and has a sense of fulfillment and peace.
After the hero's journeys are over, the hero is rewarded spiritually in some way. Normally, the hero achieves a life in bliss, often in a place with other heroes, like Valhalla or the Isle of the Blessed from mythology.
Examples differ widely at this point. Although the movie version of his life takes many liberties, the real William Wallace lives on in the spirit of his country, as shown by his statue in Stirling, Scotland (right). There is no indication of what happens to Simba but we can infer from the appearance of his father's spirit that immortality awaits him.
Arthur is called the "Once and Future King" for good reason. Here's Arthur being placed on his funeral ship. His body is set adrift to let the sea carry him off, but he is promised to return one day to reclaim his throne of England. This promise implies his spirit is waiting somewhere and is not really dead, his reward for his sacrifice as king.
Here's the painting from the Sistine Chapel showing Moses' life. He's in two places in this shot, one on the left praying, and again on the right in blue being carried to heaven by angels. Even though he didn't get into the Promised Land, Moses' service to the Yahweh gained him spiritual reward of heaven.
Here's Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Anakin Skywalker in spirit form. They all were Jedi Knights and are now rewarded spiritually for being on the Good Side of the Force, implying that a Jedi like Luke will be rewarded when his body dies.

13. Atonement With Father
Hero either redeems father’s evil deeds or reconciles with father over wrongs done by the hero.
The “father” does not have to be his/her actual father.
Often the hero must find peace with his father, mother, or ancestors. This goes back to the belief that we cannot truly know ourselves if we do not accept our past and our roots. The hero may be an orphan, or he may gain a surrogate parent along the journey. At any rate, he must accept his past and heritage before he is able to move beyond this and change in any significant way.
Atonement means to offer payment for a wrongdoing. Very often, heroes must avenge a father or make up for the father's evil. William Wallace's revolt was driven in part to avenge his father's death in the war with England. Indeed, the father's ghost haunts Wallace's dreams throughout the movie. Moses' "father," Yahweh, doesn't allow Moses into the Promised Land as a way of Moses atoning for his doubt, a situation that reverses the traditional atonement by the hero for the father.
The spirit of Mumfasa, Simba's father, tells Simba to be strong and assume his place on the throne. Simba, who has been reluctant up to this point to return to his kingdom, realizes he has little choice but to avenge his father's murder.
Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon, is unscrupulous and lustful. He uses his power to satisfy his personal urges, fathering Arthur deceitfully with a woman under a spell of Merlin that makes her think Uther is her husband. He looks a bit on the evil side, doesn't he? His father's evil legacy puts Arthur in a position to atone for his father's sins and be a good king, helping his people with selfless service.
Luke's ultimate quest is rescuing his father from the evil of the Dark Side. Here, Luke consoles his dying father after his father saves Luke and atones for his own past by killing the Emperor, the leader of the Empire. Much like Arthur, Luke chooses to be good, the opposite of what the father chose, and therefore atones for the father's sins.