The Hero’s Journey: The Return Part 1: The Road Back

Introduction

The hero must now make a choice. He has to decide if he wants to stay in the special world or go back to his ordinary world. While the special world may have its charms, it’s rare for the hero to decide to stay there. Most will elect to begin the journey home, some will take on a brand new destination.

The Road Back

This part of the story represents the resolve the hero has to return to the ordinary world. He’ll want to put the lessons he’s learned to use.

Motivation

The hero has just finished celebrating, and he has to re-dedicate himself to the journey. The hero is currently in a place of comfort, and he must now pry himself away from it. He must remind himself of  his ultimate goal, and cross another threshold. This new threshold may cause of change of focus for the story. Nevertheless, the hero has to work up the motivation to cross it.

Retaliation

If the hero did not completely defeat the villain, the villain may come back angry, and even stronger than before. This will eventually result in a sort of “final battle” and a climax to the story.

The Chase

The hero may be forced to leave the special world because of a chase that ensues after the hero defeats the villain in the Ordeal.

Escape

A chase scene can ensue because the villain attempts to escape. In this scenario, the hero(s) are doing the chasing.

Setbacks

The hero may experience a number of setbacks and challenges on his journey home, as if his luck has been reversed. These challenges may even appear to doom the adventure, as if the hero won’t be able to attain his goal and make it home after all.

For more information, try reading:

The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 3rd Edition

or

Joseph Campbell – The Hero’s Journey

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