Hero's Journey

Stages:

1. ​Departure: When a hero goes from living in their "ordinary world" to getting a call to action- of which they are unsure of- and met a mentor that helps them on their journey.

2. Initiation: When a hero enters a "special world" and faces challenges/tasks until they reach the climax of the story- the main villain/obstacle

3. ​Return: The hero returns to their own world, changed by the challenges/tasks they faced.

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​A hero's journey can be separated into 17 steps, but only 3 stages.

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• Call to adventure- hero's regular life is interrupted w/ opportunity, problem, or threat

• ​Refusal of the call- scared so refuse

• ​Supernatural aid- meet mentor to help throughout the journey

• ​Crossing the threshold- hero actually starts the journey

• ​Belly of the whale- crosses point of no return and meets first challenge

Departure

Initiation

• Road of trials- series of tests or trials to start the change; usually one test is failed

• ​meeting with the goddess- meeting 1+ allies to help

• ​woman as temptress- hero's tempted to leave quest by love, fame, wealth, etc.

• ​atonement w/ the father- come face-to-face w/ reason for his change; major turning point

• Apotheosis- hero gains a deep understanding of purpose or skill

• ​Ultimate boon- hero achieves initial goal, fulfilling the call

Initiation (continued)

• Refusal to return- reluctance to return to the normal world/life after achieving the goal

• magic flight- escaping with the object of the quest

• rescue from without- hero receives help from mentor to return home

• crossing of the return threshold- hero makes it back successfully into the normal world

Return

• master of two worlds- hero balances who he is now and was at the start

• freedom to live- hero is left to live his life in peace