12 Stages Of The Hero's Journey - Christopher Vogler

Summary

In this script, Christopher Vogler, a Hollywood development executive, screenwriter, and author, explains the 'Hero's Journey' narrative framework. He breaks it down into 12 stages, starting from the 'Ordinary World' and progressing through the 'Call to Adventure', 'Refusal of the Call', and 'Meeting the Mentor', to the climax at 'The Ordeal' and the resolution in 'Return with the Elixir'. Vogler emphasizes the transformative power of the journey, where the hero confronts fears, learns, and ultimately shares their experiences to benefit others, promising a rewarding experience for the audience.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Hero's Journey is a narrative framework that outlines a 12-stage journey for a hero in storytelling.
• 🌐 The 'Ordinary World' is the first stage where the main character and their world are introduced, setting the scene for the story.
• 📣 The 'Call to Adventure' is a pivotal moment that signals the start of the hero's journey and often involves a problem or desire that needs to be addressed.
• 🙅‍♂️ 'Refusal of the Call' is a stage where the hero resists the adventure, expressing the natural fear of the unknown.
• 👨‍🏫 The 'Mentor' stage introduces a wise figure who provides guidance and reassurance, often equipping the hero with tools or knowledge for the journey.
• 🚀 'Crossing the Threshold' marks the hero's departure from the ordinary world into a new, special world, signifying the start of their adventure.
• 🔍 'Tests, Allies, and Enemies' is a stage where the hero faces challenges that help them understand the rules of the new world and identify who can be trusted.
• 🛤️ 'Approach' is a phase where the hero and their team travel towards the central conflict, deepening relationships and revealing character dynamics.
• 💀 'The Ordeal' is a critical stage involving a near-death experience or a confrontation with the hero's greatest fear, leading to transformation.
• 🏆 'Reward' follows the ordeal, where the hero reflects on their journey, gains a new understanding of themselves, and often receives a prize or recognition.
• 🏃‍♂️ 'The Road Back' is a high-energy phase where the hero must return to their ordinary world, often pursued by antagonistic forces.
• ⚔️ 'Resurrection' is the climax where the hero faces their final test, using all they've learned to confront the antagonist and achieve resolution.
• 🔄 'Return with the Elixir' is the final stage where the hero returns to their ordinary world, bringing back wisdom, power, or a solution to benefit the community.

Q & A

What is the 'Hero's Journey' according to Christopher Vogler?

The 'Hero's Journey' is a narrative pattern identified by Joseph Campbell, which Vogler simplifies into 12 stages to analyze scripts. It outlines the journey of a hero from their ordinary world to a transformative adventure and back.

What are the 12 stages of the Hero's Journey as described by Vogler?

The 12 stages are: 1) The Ordinary World, 2) Call to Adventure, 3) Refusal of the Call, 4) Meeting the Mentor, 5) Crossing the Threshold, 6) Tests, Allies, and Enemies, 7) Approach, 8) The Ordeal, 9) The Reward, 10) The Road Back, 11) Resurrection, and 12) Return with the Elixir.

Why is the 'Call to Adventure' important in a story?

The 'Call to Adventure' is important because it announces a problem or desire that needs to be addressed, generating energy and drawing the audience into the story.

What is the significance of the 'Refusal of the Call' in the Hero's Journey?

The 'Refusal of the Call' signifies the hero's natural fear of the unknown and sets up the audience's expectation of the challenges the hero will face.

How does the 'Meeting the Mentor' stage serve the hero's journey?

The 'Meeting the Mentor' stage provides reassurance and guidance to the hero, often offering knowledge or tools that will aid them in their journey.

What happens during the 'Crossing the Threshold' stage?

During 'Crossing the Threshold,' the hero leaves the ordinary world and fully enters the special world, marking a significant turning point in the story.

What is the purpose of the 'Tests, Allies, and Enemies' stage?

The 'Tests, Allies, and Enemies' stage challenges the hero, revealing their strengths and weaknesses, and helps to define their relationships with other characters.

Why is the 'Approach' stage necessary in the Hero's Journey?

The 'Approach' stage allows the hero and their team to develop deeper relationships and understand the rules of the special world, preparing them for the ordeal ahead.

What typically happens during the 'Ordeal' stage?

The 'Ordeal' stage involves a confrontation with death or a near-death experience, leading to a rebirth and transformation of the hero.

What does the 'Reward' stage signify in the Hero's Journey?

The 'Reward' stage signifies the hero's reflection on their transformation and the gains they've achieved after facing their greatest fear.

How does the 'Resurrection' stage differ from the 'Ordeal' stage?

The 'Resurrection' stage is the climax where the hero faces the final test, often a showdown with the antagonist, using all they've learned, unlike the 'Ordeal' which is a transformative experience.

What is the significance of the 'Return with the Elixir' stage?

The 'Return with the Elixir' stage signifies the hero's return to the ordinary world, sharing the wisdom and transformation gained from their journey, often benefiting the community.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Introduction to The Hero's Journey

Christopher Vogler, a Hollywood development executive, introduces the concept of 'The Hero's Journey', a narrative pattern found in many stories. He simplifies it into 12 stages to aid in script analysis. The first stage, 'The Ordinary World', sets the scene and introduces the main character. It hints at the upcoming adventure and the challenges the hero will face. The second stage, 'Call to Adventure', presents a problem or desire that propels the story forward, engaging the audience's interest.

05:04

🚫 Refusal of the Call

The third stage, 'Refusal of the Call', shows the hero's initial reluctance to embark on the adventure. This stage is crucial as it humanizes the hero, showing their fear of the unknown. It also serves to heighten the tension and stakes of the story, making the audience more invested in the outcome.

10:08

🧙‍♂️ The Mentor's Role

In the fourth stage, a 'Mentor' character is introduced who provides guidance, reassurance, and often gifts or tools to aid the hero. This character is experienced and wiser, having faced similar challenges before. The mentor's role is to prepare the hero for the journey ahead and to instill confidence in them.

15:12

🛫 Crossing the Threshold

The fifth stage, 'Crossing the Threshold', marks the hero's decision to commit to the adventure. This is a significant turning point where the hero leaves the familiar 'Ordinary World' and enters the 'Special World'. This stage is often accompanied by a change in music or energy to signify the shift to a new phase of the story.

20:16

🔍 Tests, Allies, and Enemies

The sixth stage involves the hero facing 'Tests, Allies, and Enemies' within the Special World. These challenges are not life-threatening but serve to test the hero's skills and reveal who can be trusted. This stage is crucial for building the hero's team and understanding the dynamics of the new environment.

🚶‍♂️ The Approach

In the seventh stage, 'The Approach', the hero and their team travel towards the central conflict of the story. This phase allows for character development, deepening relationships, and the introduction of subplots such as romance or intrigue. It sets the stage for the climactic events to come.

💀 The Ordeal

The eighth stage, 'The Ordeal', is a critical moment where the hero faces their greatest fear or challenge. This often involves a near-death experience or a confrontation with death, leading to a transformation or rebirth of the hero. It is a pivotal scene that tests the hero's growth and resilience.

🏆 The Reward

Following the ordeal, the ninth stage is 'The Reward', where the hero takes time to reflect on their experiences and the changes they've undergone. This stage often involves a moment of realization or self-discovery, where the hero gains a new understanding of themselves and their capabilities.

🏃‍♂️ The Road Back

The tenth stage, 'The Road Back', sees the hero returning from the Special World to the Ordinary World. This stage often includes a chase or a race against time, highlighting the urgency of the hero's mission and the stakes involved. It is a period of high tension as the hero faces the final obstacles before their return.

🔥 Resurrection

The eleventh stage, 'Resurrection', is the climax of the story where the hero confronts the main antagonist or challenge. This is the final test of the hero's growth and learnings, often involving a decisive action or choice that determines the outcome of the story.

🌟 Return with the Elixir

The final stage, 'Return with the Elixir', symbolizes the hero's return to their ordinary life, now transformed by their experiences. The 'Elixir' represents the wisdom, power, or boon the hero brings back to benefit others. This stage emphasizes the hero's role as a protector and server of their community, sharing the transformative lessons of their journey.

Keywords

💡The Hero's Journey

The Hero's Journey is a narrative pattern identified by Joseph Campbell that describes the typical structure of many myths and heroic tales. It consists of a series of stages that the protagonist goes through, including departure, initiation, and return. In the video, Christopher Vogler simplifies and adapts this model for screenwriting, breaking it down into 12 stages to help analyze and structure stories.

💡Ordinary World

The Ordinary World is the first stage of The Hero's Journey, where the hero is introduced in their normal environment before the adventure begins. It sets the context for the story and provides a contrast to the extraordinary events that will follow. In the script, Vogler mentions that this stage should hint at the challenges or questions that will drive the narrative.

💡Call to Adventure

The Call to Adventure is the stage where the hero is presented with a challenge or quest that disrupts their ordinary life. It is a pivotal moment that propels the story forward and signals the beginning of the hero's journey. Vogler notes that this call often generates a lot of energy in the story and draws the audience in.

💡Refusal of the Call

Refusal of the Call is the stage where the hero initially resists the adventure or challenge that has been presented to them. This reflects a natural fear of the unknown and adds tension to the story. Vogler explains that this stage is crucial to show the audience that the adventure is daunting and that the hero is human and afraid.

💡Mentor

A Mentor is a character who provides guidance, wisdom, or assistance to the hero, often giving them the tools or knowledge needed to face the challenges ahead. Vogler describes the mentor as a reassuring presence that helps the hero overcome their fear and embark on their journey.

💡Crossing the Threshold

Crossing the Threshold is the stage where the hero leaves the familiar world and enters the special world of the adventure. This marks a significant turning point in the story, signaling that the hero is fully committed to their quest. Vogler likens this to an airplane taking off, indicating the start of the main journey.

💡Tests, Allies, Enemies

Tests, Allies, Enemies are challenges and encounters that the hero faces in the special world, which help to reveal who can be trusted and who poses a threat. These experiences are crucial for the hero's growth and for building the dynamics of the story. Vogler uses this stage to illustrate how the hero learns the rules of the new world.

💡Approach

The Approach is the stage where the hero and their allies prepare to face the central challenge of the story. It is a period of travel and deepening relationships, often leading to a greater understanding of the hero's own capabilities and the nature of their quest. Vogler suggests that this stage allows for character development and intrigue.

💡Ordeal

The Ordeal is the climax of the hero's journey, where they face their greatest fear or challenge. It is a life-or-death experience that leads to a transformation or rebirth for the hero. Vogler describes this as a moment of intense drama, often involving a near-death experience.

💡Reward

The Reward is the stage where the hero gains a prize or treasure as a result of overcoming the ordeal. This could be a physical object, knowledge, or a newfound sense of self. Vogler emphasizes that this stage allows the hero to reflect on their journey and the changes they have undergone.

💡Resurrection

Resurrection is the final climax of the story, where the hero faces a final test or confrontation that puts all they have learned to the test. It is a decisive moment that determines the outcome of the story. Vogler suggests that this stage often involves a chase or a race against time, increasing the story's tension.

💡Return with the Elixir

Return with the Elixir is the final stage of the journey, where the hero returns to the ordinary world, often with a gift or lesson that benefits the community. This stage emphasizes the hero's growth and their role as a protector and server of others. Vogler connects this to the idea of the hero's expanded sense of responsibility and the sharing of transformative experiences.

Highlights

The Hero's Journey is broken down into 12 stages for script analysis.

Stage 1: The Ordinary World - Introducing the main character and their world.

Stage 2: Call to Adventure - Announcing a problem or desire that generates story energy.

Stage 3: Refusal of the Call - The hero's initial fear and resistance to the adventure.

Stage 4: Meeting the Mentor - Introducing a wise character to reassure and guide the hero.

Stage 5: Crossing the Threshold - The hero leaves the ordinary world for the special world.

Stage 6: Tests, Allies, and Enemies - The hero faces challenges and discovers who can be trusted.

Stage 7: Approach - The hero and team travel towards the central conflict, deepening relationships.

Stage 8: The Ordeal - The hero faces their greatest fear, often resulting in a near-death experience.

Stage 9: Reward - The hero reflects on their transformation and gains a new sense of self.

Stage 10: The Road Back - The hero must return to the ordinary world with their newfound wisdom.

Stage 11: Resurrection - The climax where the hero confronts the antagonist and applies their lessons.

Stage 12: Return with the Elixir - The hero shares their transformative experience with the community.

The Hero's Journey is a flexible system that can be adapted to various story structures.

The absence of certain stages can create tension and intrigue for the audience.

The Hero's Journey pattern promises a payoff for the audience, potentially shifting their worldview.

Transcripts

Film Courage: Chris, can you please give us a  10 minute version of what The Hero's Journey is?

Christopher Vogler, Hollywood development  executive, screenwriter, author and educator: Yes,  

The Hero's Journey, I'm going to give you the  quick down a dirty version there are in the  

way I look at it. I broke it into 12 stages  and it doesn't necessarily have to be chopped  

up that way you can describe it in 10 stages or  as Campbell did sometimes he would take 16 or 32  

because he was interested in telling you every  possible thing that could happen but I cooked  

it down into this rough outline of 12 stages  because I was trying to get something that could  

be useful in many many many cases for analyzing  scripts basically so I came up with this 12 point  

proposal of of what the story really  is down deep so the first stage is  

The Ordinary World you need to introduce the  character the main character the story is about  

you have to introduce the world they live in and  let us know what's been going on there up to this  

point so this is like a stage that you create  on the screen and you bring your characters out  

and introduce them to the audience and show the  character doing something characteristic their  

characteristic Behavior a way of getting on in the  world but in that opening section there should be  

some kind of clue we're going someplace else or  there's a problem here that needs to be solved or  

there's a question will the hero escape from  this world will the hero get what he or she  

wants will they learn what they need so this is an  opportunity to set those things in motion and kind  

of set the table for the audience of what they  need to know to get involved and drawn into the  

store story the second bit is the stage of Call  to Adventure because you really need to announce  

to the audience that there's a problem that needs  to be solved or there's a desire somebody has and  

that generates a lot of energy in the story and  draws us in because we are just programmed to  

observe anybody even stick figure drawings and  plug ourselves in to the desires of that stick  

figure if if it's reaching its little stick hands  out to pick up a baby or something or to get food  

we automatically plug into that so the call  to adventure is announcing to us hey here's  

somebody who's kind of like me and they want  something or they're in trouble or they need  

something or their world is in trouble so it's a  way of announcing that and I've noticed there is  

a strong tendency to play certain kind of music at  this point they go to the brass section and they  

play horns you'll hear a lot of horn calls like  bugle calls on the soundtrack at this point so  

the composers are instinctively going for that  kind of sound so the next thing that typically  

happens in stories is there's a reaction so the  call comes how does the hero react and that's  

the third stage which is usually refusal of the  call most of the time they put up a fight about  

it of saying I don't want to go or I can't go or  I already went once and I didn't like it there'll  

be some kind of statement like this or turning  away from the adventure that's being offered  

and I think this is there for a very important  reason it's to tell the audience this is scary  

and your hero is naturally afraid because he  or she is being asked to go into the unknown  

they don't know what's ahead and we're all afraid  of that we might want to get out of our situation  

in our ordinary world if we're uncomfortable as  most heroes are but what's next is unknown and  

so it's natural to express fear and there are  some variations on this some heroes are really  

into it and they want what they want and they are  just ready to go and nothing's going to stop them  

but somebody else in the design will often jump  up and say you can't do that don't you know this  

is terribly dangerous everybody who tried this  was killed and there are a lot of things in fairy  

tales and myths that suggest this the hero will be  walking along the path trying to get what he wants  

to get into a castle or to rescue a princess  or something like that and notices that the  

ground underneath is very crunchy and making all  this noise under his boots and he looks down and  

realizes he's walking on the bones and skulls of  all the heroes who went before and didn't make it  

so it is signaling to the audience this is serious  this is dangerous and we really need that to get  

involved in the story or else we just go oh  well it's you know some cartoon or you know uh  

string of images that I'm observing that aren't  really meaningful to me it when we get scared  

for the hero then we're involved so now we have  to overcome this fear and a typical way is stage  

four introducing a mentor and the mentor is a  character often who is wiser and more involved  

than the hero has been around the block once or  more times has been through the whole hero cycle  

of 12 stages more than once and they're there with  really one job which is to reassure the hero and  

give the hero something you could equally call  this type of character a donor character because  

often they give something to the herald might be  knowledge might be a map might be a magic sword  

might be a weapon or a vehicle of some kind or  just reassurance that no I've I could I'm here  

to tell you it's scary of over there in this  other world but it can be survived and I went  

there and I know because you look I'm here so  you know that someone can survive this so that  

often is used to give the heroes some reassurance  and there can be stories that don't have this uh  

where there's no mentor and that's kind of a scary  story when there's nobody to look up to nobody to  

ask about what are the rules in this other world  what can eat me what should I eat and you know  

who's a friend and who's an enemy when there's  nobody to ask that's kind of a horror story and  

that makes an interesting variation and I think  that's a good point for all of these stages that  

this is a very flexible system and if you take  out or leave out certain parts it creates a very  

interesting tension where the audience kind of  expects it and they want to know why isn't that  

there usually that's there and that I see there  isn't any helper or mentor so this is maybe a  

different story that I should pay more attention  to so it's good to be flexible about these things  

so next thing up stage five is now that you  have sort of loaded up your with equipment and  

reassurance and you know where you're going you  know what you want you face your fear you've been  

reassured now it's time to get up and go and when  I was working for the movie studios especially for  

Disney they talked about this like an airplane  taking off and they said you've spent all this  

time in what they call the first act the first  three or four or five movements those first steps  

you've loaded the plane up and you've fueled the  plane and you've told everybody to belt their seat  

belts and you know all the safety things now get  the wheels up and get the plane in the air so this  

is the feeling of lifting up that you get when  all the preparation is ready and now we're going  

into that new world or special world as Joseph  Campbell calls it he says every story he ever  

looked at seems to take place in Two Worlds either  environments or states of being two different  

states of conditions so now we're going to really  launch into that special world and this is a big  

turning point in a story that signals the audience  all the prep is done now we're really going for  

it and the audience likes that and they feel  a nice lift there and sometimes it's backed  

up by changing the music or the change in the  energy of the scene to say we're leaving Kansas  

we're leaving the ordinary world and now we're  going someplace very very different and exotic  

so now you're in this special world and you have  to figure out what is special about it so there's  

a stage number six that's called tests allies and  enemies and the idea is that it's like you've been  

thrown into a college class and you don't know  much about the subject but they've given you a few  

chapters to read and some problems to work out and  now you're tested but it's a small test it's like  

a pop quiz that just focuses on certain skills and  abilities and so the hero will be put through some  

kind of challenges that aren't fatal necessarily  but they're a little scary and a little dangerous  

and they bring attention to the fact I don't know  the rules here and I've got to figure it out fast  

so I got to figure out who can help me with this  and and who will be in my way and that's where the  

allies and enemies come and often you will find  teams are built at this stage you think about  

in Star Wars the Cantina sequence where you're on  the threshold of this world of space and the hero  

Luke Skywalker finds you know the rules are very  different here there's weird creatures and quick  

moments of violence so the hero is alerted that  he's going to someplace quite exotic and different  

so having been through some of those tests there's  a stage now because number seven which I call the  

approach and this is a period of time in movies  and in a lot of stories where the hero is not  

quite to the center of the whole thing yet but  there's a period of traveling there and on that  

travel the hero and the rest of the team get to  know each other better and the first impressions  

that you made of people and the impression you  have of yourself may start to change because  

you're getting to know them better so it's  a period I would call another name for it is  

getting to know you where people develop deeper  relationships the friendships get deeper or they  

get tested and you become suspicious you might  be paranoid about the other person or you know  

somebody sabotaging us and you know who is it and  you start looking around for suspects so this is  

a place where comedy can develop and where  romance and Intrigue can develop it's a Time  

in stories where you sort of let your belt out as  a Storyteller and take some time to go deeper with  

the characters so this all is by way of leading  up to sort of the heart of the whole thing the  

mainspring is stage eight which is the ordeal and  this is composed really of two beats one is death  

or a near-death experience or a confrontation  with death and then a rebirth that comes out of  

that and it may be stretched out over two scenes  one for the death and one for the rebirth or it  

can all happen in one scene but this could be  a very drastic very dramatic scene often you  

will have physical combat at this stage or legal  dispute or a big argument in the family something  

like that and it there's blood on the floor and  it looks like somebody's gonna die or sometimes  

somebody does die and in a lot of the myths  that's exactly what happens the hero actually  

dies and goes into an underworld or is swallowed  by a creature and you know to our eyes to ordinary  

humanize is dead and over with but they're living  in this other world and in the underworld or they  

get a second shot at life and are brought back  transformed because the ordeal they went through  

was so intense that it shatters the old self and  now they get to be something different and this  

will sometimes come as a surprise to the heroes  and to the audience that oh I I didn't know I had  

that in me I didn't know I could survive and  face something like that I thought that would  

wipe me out and it did but I still have something  left and and I feel differently about myself now  

so those are are huge transformative scenes and  sometimes very violent and sometimes very dramatic  

the simple way to say it is that the hero faces  his or her greatest fear whatever it is they're  

afraid of should be established earlier in the  picture earlier in the show but at this point  

they they face that fear and keep going so the  next stage number nine is reaping the benefits  

of that it's called the reward Stage Nine and  here is where sometimes you have the rebirth or  

this is the aftermath of that death and rebirth  where you take some time and reflect on what  

just happened and sort of recompose yourself and  begin to experiment with this new identity that's  

come because you went through a crucible you went  through something transformative and scary and now  

you're not quite the same person anymore and you  need to reflect on that and often it's literally  

reflecting by looking in a mirror there are a  lot of scenes in movies where people at this  

stage take a good look at themselves and begin  to realize you know I thought I couldn't do the  

X Y or Z and you know what I can and maybe that  means I could do something else too so they'd be  

begin to dream bigger or have a better idea of  themselves and it will often be expressed in a  

long speech and thoughtful speech where they're  going over what just happened and and reflecting  

on you know when I was in the jaws of the monster  or when the bad guys were about to beat me up  

I I had a thought and that thought comes out  and sometimes it's a profound thing that the  

hero realizes about himself or herself so having  done all this sort of operation there is a kind  

of a party atmosphere almost at this stage you  might celebrate on this moment of rebirth but  

this reward phase but at some point you kind  of have to collect yourself and the energy of  

the story to focus now on finishing and this is  something that mirrors or or corresponds really  

well to what goes on the life of the artist the  artist dives into something not knowing what it's  

going to be they pull something out of themselves  that's very intense they almost die doing it I  

think almost every artist has that feeling that it  wasn't easy to get it out of me but now it's out  

there it's wonderful but now I have to publish it  now I have to bring it home now I have to polish  

it and finish it so that it can be presented and  the same is true for the heroes and the stories  

they sometimes have to rededicate themselves to  finishing and there's a increase in energy here  

and often in movies you find Chase scenes at this  point where the urgency becomes apparent that we  

better hurry up because the bad guys are almost  home and they're going to claim the victory before  

us so we have have to race them to get home or the  bad guys stole the treasure that we came to get  

and you know we had it in our hands but now it's  gone and we have to go chase after it or somebody  

we love has been kidnapped by the villains and we  have to pursue them so the the energy of the chase  

often comes up if you looked at 100 Hollywood  movies you would find at least 80 of them have  

a very exciting chasing at this point so this is a  a place where you can almost see home but there's  

a lot of trips and possible flaws and outcomes  that can yet trip you up so with that increase in  

energy now we come skidding into the next to last  phase number 11 which is the resurrection which  

is an umbrella kind of phrase that covers a lot of  possible operations but basically it's the climax  

of the movie where all the questions are brought  to the fore and are answered in one particular  

choice that the hero makes or one action that  the hero takes to stand up to the villains or  

to seize their Birthright and there might be a big  Showdown or a conflict physical fight sword fight  

gun fight or courtroom battle or big argument  between the generations but it serves to focus  

the heroes energy on how have I changed them what  have I learned and I'm going to be tested here to  

the Max this is the final exam stage eight was  kind of the midterm exam this is the final and  

if I flunked this final I'm doomed I'll have to  either repeat it or I'm going to end up killed  

so it's as drastic as it can be but it has this  wonderful effect if the hero faces it faces Their  

Fear and calls on all the things they've learned  in the story then they end up transformed and  

can express all these things they've learned in a  single action and bring out a wonderful feeling in  

the audience that the hero is now fully realized  and has learned the lessons and has defeated the  

the bad forces although it should look like  the bad guys are going to win and we should be  

tricked almost into thinking that they have the  upper hand and then the hero pulls out one last  

burst of energy or gets help from somebody and is  able to overcome and then the final step stage 12  

is what Campbell called return with the Elixir  and the idea here is once you've been through  

such a transformative experience that's churned  you up you have an obligation and sometimes a  

desire to share it with everybody else and that's  what really makes a hero according to Campbell's  

idea of the word hero is that it's someone who  protects and serves and doesn't do it selfishly  

that they do it with a sharing kind of attitude  and that that's what really distinguishes a good  

hero is that they take responsibility for a group  that they step up or that they sacrifice something  

at the last movement that was very dear to  them but which is good for the community so  

there's often a sense of expansion here that the  hero's little world and their little desires and  

needs have a bigger Dimension and because I went  through something dangerous and faced my fears  

I have something to share I have something to  give and it might be a good story or it might  

be love or it might be a new way of doing  things new idea of yourself but it must be  

shared and transmitted and that's the idea of the  elixir which is elixir is a word from Arabic that  

means a magic potion or magic dust that has  this quality like the Holy Grail of healing  

all wounds or solving all problems and it's a  a universal antivirus that that is everything  

so that's the 12 stages as I see it and it's a  beautiful pattern that kind of promises you if you  

observe these things and celebrate them in your  story that they'll be a payoff in the audience  

that they will feel something and that their life  will be shifted or their view of the world will  

be shifted just a little bit and maybe they'll  have a bigger idea of what's possible for them.