RP Help Compendium

Be it literature, comics, video games or film, every person has been introduced to the concept of 'good' verses 'evil', light and dark, Heroes and Villains. While we already know that in the process of writing good story we need to create conflict, we also need to create characters. But the only way that story will keep the audiences attention is if those characters are 'believable'. The question is... how? How do we take an amalgamation of concepts, descriptions, emotions, and combine them into a figure that we can call a Hero?

To do this, we need to take a look at the history of Myth, The Heroes Journey, and Heroic Archetypes. Only then can we learn what truly makes a Hero.

So lets get started!


Webster's Dictionary defines myth as being "…a story that was told in an ancient culture to explain a practice, belief, or natural occurrence" (Merriam-Webster, n.d). Often myths are regarded as fantastical stories that were held as sacred by the ancients. In our culture, when the word myth is used, it generally implies a lie, or a set of beliefs that lack any veracity. Yet myths can also convey certain types of truth. Truths that speak of values, pathos, and the lessons learned by overcoming adversity.

In 1949, a book hit the market that changed the face of literature and film forever. This book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, was a collection of theories and observations made in regards to mythology and the 'Archetypal hero' found in the legends of yore. Written by Joseph John Campbell, a mythologist, he discovered that regardless of the culture or religion, every myth and legend from Native American to Hindi, Celtic to African, there was a pattern that could be seen. There was a formula, one that could be applied to every story and every character within that story. And it was that formula that made those stories memorable, those characters 'Godlike'.

Joseph Campbell called this 'The Monomyth', or the theory that all mythic narratives were variations of one single, great story. The Story of Mankind. Whether you are reading the legend of King Arthur or Mulan, Heracles or Anansi, the stories.. are the same. You just need to know how to spot the pattern. And part of that pattern was what purpose did a myth serve?

In Campbell's work, he described mythology as having a 'Fourfold Function' within human society.

Metaphysical Function

The metaphysical function is the spiritual/religious side of myths. This is the primary function of many myths. It exposes the miracle of creation and raises the awareness of (external or internal) spirituality. This function enables human beings to accept the burdens of life.

Examples: Avatar: The Last Airbender

Cosmological Function

The cosmological function gives meaning and structure to the universe. Myths with this function explain how the world and universe were created and their purpose. It explains the world in an objective manner as opposed to a spiritual approach. This function establishes the rules of the universe such as time, space, geology, and biology.

Examples: Ancient Aliens: the Series, Mass Effect

Sociological Function

This function creates and maintains a social order and norms such as: rules, laws, traditions, and customs. It teaches people how to live, what behaviors are acceptable and which are not. It encourages people to support the current status-quo of the society they live in. This function also explains who is in charge and why.

Examples: How to Train Your Dragon, 300

Psychological Function

The psychological function is also called the ‘pedagogical’ function. Myths with this function prepare us for challenges. They tell us how to live a lifetime. They take people through various stages or rites of passage which often lead to a sense of harmony, order, and comfort.

Examples: The Walking Dead, The Fault in Our Stars

These Functions exist still in our modern media (as demonstrated by the examples above), and are one piece to the foundation of how to not only create but understand a character. Because each of these functions impacts the -who- of a character: The characters spiritual beliefs, their understanding of their world, their place in society, and how they react to change.

Which brings us to The Heroes Journey.

Also known as 'The Hero Cycle', this is the observed, typical (Or archetypal) pattern within mythology, literature, and inevitably film, video games and comic books. Joseph Campbell observed and catalogued 17 Archetypal steps and 3 Archetypal categories (Also called Acts) that most heroes move through in their journey. The Heroes Journey is an awakening: the path from what once was an Ordinary World into a Special World, and how that person grows anew not just in a physical sense but emotionally and spiritually.

Act 1: The Departure



All the events within Act 1 take place in the Ordinary World, the realm the Hero is familiar and content with. A 'normal' world.

The Call to Adventure: The first step of any journey is the reason for the journey in the first place. Typically, when we first meet a hero they are living some semblance of a normal life, but at some point someone or something is going to come into the hero’s life and pull them out of their ordinary existence into the world of adventure. This event or encounter is the first step in the hero cycle: the Call to Adventure. This call can come in countless forms. It could simply be a desire for something better or more interesting; it can be the yearning to connect with a would be love interest; it could be a letter summoning the hero to war. Example: Bilbo Baggins being hired as a burglar by Thorin and Company.

Refusal of the Call: Just because a hero receives a Call to Adventure doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to leap head first into the quest. The Call to Adventure presents a significant change to the hero’s life. As a result, in most stories the hero hesitates. This is the second step of the Hero Cycle: The Refusal of the Call. This refusal is the moment where the hero is temporarily overcome with self-doubt and may question their skill, ability, purity, worthiness, or desire to successfully complete the quest. On certain occasions the Refusal of the Call can be interpreted as coming from without rather than from within. Something may be physically holding the hero back; someone may try to project doubts onto the hero, or, someone might attempt to talk the hero out of the quest before they’ve even begun it. The Refusal of the Call is important because it allows the audience to relate to the hero because the hero’s doubts and weaknesses humanize them. Example: 'Hobbits do not go on adventures' - Bilbo is convinced that it is a completely un-hobbit like thing, leaving the Shire.

Supernatural Aid: Some reluctant heroes may complain about the burden of the quest, reminding everyone that they are leaving as soon as they get paid, or straddle both sides of the fence until they have to choose. By doing this they are essentially hanging on to the Refusal of the Call for much of the quest. However, for many heroes this refusal is a temporary interruption and they move through it quickly, usually because of some kind of intervention or inspiration. This intervention near the beginning of the quest is know as the Supernatural Aid and it is the third step in the hero cycle. Generally the Supernatural Aid is represented in one of two forms: the appearance of the Mentor character, or the obtaining of an object like a weapon, map, or talisman of some sort. This is a key moment because the Supernatural Aid often occurs at a point when the hero is full of doubt and/or the odds stacked against them look insurmountable. The appearance of the mentor gives the hero focus and direction, at a point when they are unsure of what to do next. By inspiring, reassuring and guiding the hero, the mentor as, a Supernatural Aid, endows the hero with the confidence they need to begin their quest. If the Supernatural Aid comes in the form of an object the effect is similar, but often times the object is also a device that serves to give the hero a fighting chance against the seemingly overwhelming forces standing against them. Frequently, however, the Supernatural Aid is a combination of the two: a mentor giving the hero a sense of purpose and direction, and giving the hero an object of some kind that they will carry throughout the quest. Example: Gandalf ordering Bilbo to go acts as a fire that lit Bilbo to action.

Crossing the First Threshold: After the Supernatural Aid, the hero is ready to move past any lingering doubts and into the quest outright. Before long, they cross from the world that they are comfortable and familiar with into the world of adventure and of the unknown. This fourth step in the hero cycle is called The Crossing of the First Threshold. When the hero crosses the threshold they have psychologically committed themselves to the quest and have backed up that mental commitment with unequivocal physical action. For them there is no turning back until the quest is complete; they have crossed a point of no return. This act should not be taken lightly because there is a lot more going on here than a hero crossing a boundary or opening a door. The hero is leaving behind everything they know and moving into a dangerous, unfamiliar world, where failure can have dire or deadly consequences. Additionally, in the larger metaphor of the journey as a symbol of growth, The Crossing of the First Threshold serves as the hero’s first meaningfully independent, adult decision. Example: Bilbo leaving The Shire. While a simple sounding threshold, in context to the universe and character, it was a huge leap that there was no real turning back from.

Belly of the Whale: Crossing of the First Threshold is a huge psychological step, but even then most heroes don’t fully grasp just how dangerous their quest might be, and approach it with their normal lives at the forefront of their minds. All of this changes when the hero encounters the fifth step in the hero cycle: The Belly of the Whale. For the first time in the quest, the hero comes face to face with possibility of dying on their journey. In cases where the quest isn’t that serious or where the hero isn’t afraid to die, death is replaced by failure. The hero will undoubtedly meet other serious trials that put their life at risk, but the first time they experience a situation where death is imminent - but they survive - they undergo a major psychological change. This change is a shift in thinking where the hero comes to accept that they are no longer in the word of the familiar and that they have very little control of the world around them. For the hero, this is a transition from using their conscious mind to relying on their unconscious mind for survival, as well as reaching a new level of awareness in the process. Often times the metaphorical descent into the unconscious mind is reflected by the physical descent of being literally or figuratively swallowed by the whale in whatever form it takes. Example: Meeting the Trolls

Act 2: Initiation



At this point, the Hero has fully entered the Special World: It is here, the journey truly begins.

Road of Trials: The first sub-phase of the initiation is known as the Road of Trials. In many stories the Road of Trials makes up the bulk of the narrative. For example: Odysseus’s quest home, Huckleberry Finn’s river adventure, and Cloud’s lengthy journey to the northern crater in Final Fantasy VII are all roads of trials, and each hero encounters challenge after challenge along the way to wherever their destiny lies. Generally each obstacle along the way is more difficult to get past than the previous but the hero’s experiences, starting with the Belly of the Whale, prepare them to confront and overcome each trial. Thus, each challenge in the road of trials tempers the hero, preparing them for the final showdown with the shadow. Example: The Goblins, Gollum, The Spiders

Meeting with the Deity: As a hero navigates through the Road of Trials they will encounter a number of different kinds of tests. Generally speaking, the Road of Trials represents the physical and mental tests the hero will come up against - but the next three steps in the hero cycle force the hero to confront specifically spiritual and psychological situations. The terminology is a bit deceptive as the “meeting” does not have to be with someone or something inherently divine in order to serve the archetypal role. What is constant is that the “deity” is almost always a force that lies outside of the hero’s comprehension, making the experience metaphysical in nature. The Meeting with a Deity can be fulfilled in a number of different ways, but Campbell primarily links it with an experience of deep connectivity. This connectivity can be divine but can also be romantic, parental, or platonic in nature, and the connection that a hero establishes with the "deity" makes the hero more complete as a person. It gives them a new or broader understanding of the world, and reminds them that there are things that lie outside of their comprehension. This meeting revitalizes them, giving them the strength to carry on with their quest.

In its simplest form, a classical hero, during a particularly dark moment of their journey literally meets a god or goddess that reassures them and gives the strength and courage to carry on. This type of " deity" meeting doesn’t make sense in every story, but the archetype can still be actualized through other powerful encounters or emotions. For example, a hero may meet someone that deeply inspires them. They may experience the unexplainable feelings of falling in love, or may encounter someone whose knowledge, experience, or power far exceeds their own. The point is that these are not fleeting moments, but life changing, mind expanding ones. Additionally, this step often takes place at a moment when the hero is particularly vulnerable or downtrodden. The Meeting with a Deity provides the hero respite, and then establishes a meaningful connection between the "deity" and the hero through which the hero grows spiritually and/or emotionally, reinvigorating them in the process.

This is the Meeting with a Deity in its basic form, but Campbell also discusses a dark side of this archetype where the " deity" is akin to an absent parent, potentially destructive, or even unattainable. Once again the hero’s understanding of the world is broadened, but in these instances it’s an understanding that the world is an unpleasant place, where they see the promise of meaningful connection but do not experience the fulfillment of it. While this is negative for the hero it opens them up to an understanding that they have to persevere through the challenges ahead to reach that desired connection. Example: Meeting Bard the Bowman

Temptation: The feeling and the challenge of Temptation is universal and nearly every hero goes through a moment of Temptation where they could be lured off of their quest. This Temptation can come in the form of money, power, sex, forbidden knowledge, forbidden love, a return to a simple life, or any number of things. Typically the Temptation is manifested in something the hero desperately wants but knows that they cannot have or recognizes as something that may benefit them in the short-term but will be bad for them in the long run. A clichéd example is the scene where the hero and the shadow are nearing the final showdown and the shadow says “we’re a lot a like you and I,” and then tries to tempt the hero into abandoning his or her quest. The hero then typically pauses and says something like “we’re nothing alike.” Although that particular scene is trite, the Temptation step itself is important. The fact that the hero is able to overcome the Temptation validates the audience’s and the other characters’ faith in the hero and shows the strength of the hero’s integrity and resolve at completing the quest. While the Temptation marks a point where the hero can be drawn off course, another deep and personal encounter can be just what the hero needs to propel them to their goal. Example: The One Ring

Atonement: Generally, when we hear the word 'atonement' we think of a reconciliation, a reparation, or to make up after a fight. But when Campbell chose the word he was drawing from a more archaic use of the word meaning “to unite.” If you break down the word this meaning is revealed “At-One-Ment.” The idea is that two people who were separated are now one, but the step as it’s applied to the hero should have a far deeper meaning than a simple reconciliation.

Remember that the Hero’s Cycle is a metaphor for the passing from adolescence into adulthood. Many heroes have a parental figure of some kind that thinks of the hero as less than an adult. This character can be a parent, a mentor figure, a shape-shifter that holds the hero back, or even the shadow, but the relationship is almost always comparable to that of a parent and a child. When the Atonement occurs, the relationship between these two characters shifts. The parental figure recognizes the transformation the hero has made on their journey and no longer views them as a child and/or a lesser, but as an adult and an equal. This is an exceedingly critical moment for the hero because in the same way that hero’s overcoming of Temptation validates the faith others have put in them, the Atonement validates the hero in their own mind. Any remaining doubts are dissipated, and they are filled with the confidence to push through to the end of their quest.

In some stories the Atonement comes after the hero has essentially completed their journey. In these cases this parental approval is the ultimate or penultimate reward for having completed the quest. In many classical myths the Atonement is the final psychological turning point for the hero. Because the hero looks at the parental figure as a power greater than themselves, the validation they receive from the Atonement can have an elevating effect on the hero and is typically the beginning of their ascent toward Campbell’s tenth step, the Apotheosis. Example: Thorin's Acceptance of Bilbo.

Apotheosis: The Apotheosis is the moment when a hero becomes greater than they were before. This can manifest itself as a greater mental or spiritual awareness, like when a character discovers a previously hidden truth about themselves. It may be an elevation in social status, like when a hero is publicly recognized for their great deeds, or the Apotheosis may manifest itself as the hero becoming exponentially more powerful then they were before. For example, when Goku finally goes Super Saiyan in Dragonball Z. This instance is the closest to the traditional definition of Apotheosis, which if you break it down has the word 'theo' as in 'theology' in it. 'Theo' is the Greek word for 'God', and 'apo' is the Greek word for 'from,' so Apotheosis literally translates as “from God.” In several classical myths the hero, upon achieving their Apotheosis, becomes god-like in status and power.

An example of this kind of Apotheosis from classical mythology is the myth of Heracles. As the hero is dying in agony he lays himself on a funeral pyre, begging someone to light it. Before the flames can consume him Zeus strikes the pyre with a thunderbolt and Heracles is brought up to Mount Olympus, not as a man, but as a god. Zeus has finally recognized Heracles for the hero he is (the Atonement) and has rewarded him with his Apotheosis. This literal application of the Apotheosis is one way the archetype can be applied, but it’s not the only way the archetype can manifest in a story. As long as the hero is elevated in status or power they have undergone the Apotheosis.

The Ultimate Boon: The Ultimate Boon at it’s most basic is the goal of the quest. It is the accomplishment of what the hero set out to do when they accepted the Call to Adventure, or it is the definitive goal that is revealed to them at some point during their journey. All the trials, sacrifices, and suffering the hero has gone through has purified and tempered them, and they are now ready to accept or complete The Ultimate Boon. This goal can be taking down the evil empire, bringing back the golden fleece, obtaining the elixir of life, saving the princess, getting the guy or the girl, or fulfilling the prophecy. Whatever The Ultimate Boon is, acquiring or accomplishing it coincides with the climax of the story, and frequently occurs with the defeat of the Shadow character. In fact, in many stories defeating the Shadow character IS the 'boon.' Although they may still face other challenges, after the hero has completed this step, their world begins to balance out, and much of the tension of the quest begins to dissipate. Frequently, The Ultimate Boon is something fleeting, that the hero cannot hold on to, like the plant of youth that is stolen from Gilgamesh by the serpent. This stripping of the boon serves as warning against a hero abusing the power they have gained on their quest.

In nearly every story accomplishing The Ultimate Boon goes hand in hand with the Apotheosis, so it actually makes a lot of sense to examine these two steps together. Sometimes the hero needs to undergo the Apotheosis to achieve The Ultimate Boon, and other times the Apotheosis comes as a reward for accomplishing The Ultimate Boon. In rare cases the hero’s Ultimate Boon is the Apotheosis itself. This is the case with Heracles who’s Apotheosis doubles as his Ultimate Boon, and is represented as the gift of immortality. Example: The defeat of Smaug and the reclamation of Thorin's homeland.

Act 3: The Return



It is at this point that the heroes journey begins to close. The fight has been won, the war is done, the prize is in hand. It is now time to return to the Ordinary World. It is important to keep in mind that at this stage of the journey, the order can be jumbled: The Magic Flight might occur before the Refusal of the Return, for example, or the Refusal might be ignore altogether depending on the Hero in question.

The Refusal of the Return: The hero has finally completed their goal, and though their journey has been arduous it has also been rewarding, exciting, and enlightening. Sometimes, at this moment in the journey, the hero has come so far and experienced so much that the thought of returning back to their previous, ordinary life is repugnant to them. They want to continue their adventure because the thrill of the quest is incomparable to anything they’ve ever experienced. Other times, the hero may not think they can make it back or maybe isn’t so much opposed to returning, but desires to hang on to a treasure or relationship they found along the way. There are also occasions where the hero may be restrained or held back from returning by something external. Whatever the reason, most heroes have a moment of resistance against leaving the world of adventure. However, they eventually accept the fact that they must return home or are compelled to return by an outside force. The acceptance that they must return is another psychological maturation for the hero, and in regards to the hero cycle as a life journey metaphor, this represents a transition from being an adult who has adventures, to an elder (not necessarily an old person) who tells of their adventures to inspire and teach others.

Magic Flight: While the Refusal of the Return can immediately follow the Ultimate Boon, in many stories it gets pushed back a bit because the hero may still face a remaining challenge in the thirteenth step: The Magic Flight. Because of the terminology, this step is commonly misinterpreted as a flight through the air. While flying could be a part of the step, in this instance “flight” means the action of fleeing or trying to escape. After the hero has obtained or accomplished their boon and defeated the shadow it is unusual for them to simply walk away with no resistance. Minions of the shadow may stand in the way or pursue the hero as they flee, the hero may have to rush off with the boon to save the day some place else, the literal or metaphorical castle may start to crumble around the hero, the hero may need to hurry to the airport to stop the love of their life from moving someplace far away. Maybe, even though the shadow has been beaten, the clock on the bomb may still be ticking.

No matter what form The Magic Flight takes, it’s main attribute is that the hero is escaping from the final remaining danger, or the remnants of the shadow. Example: The Battle of Five Armies

Rescue from Without: In some instances the hero manages to flee the remnants of the shadow on their own, but frequently the hero needs help to complete their escape. This brings us to the fourteenth step, the Rescue from Without. This is the moment when the hero’s friends arrive to save the day. In some stories rescue happens just in time; in others, the hero’s friends arrive to force them out of their Refusal of the Return; and in others still it can be played for laughs when the friends show up with a grandiose rescue after the remaining threats have already been neutralized. The Rescue from Without is the proverbial “here comes the cavalry” moment, and can be represented by police sirens in the background when the shadow has already been defeated, the hand that reaches down and grabs the hero just as they lose their grip, or the person who miraculously shows up with just what the hero needs at that moment. The point of the Rescue from Without is to bring the hero back down to earth a little bit, and to show that while the hero has accomplished amazing feats and won against impossible odds, in the end, even the mighty hero has limitations and needs rescuing. Example: Gandalfs return

Crossing the Return Threshold: Once the hero has fled the remnants of the shadow and has been pulled out of harms way, there is generally nothing left for them to do but to finally return home. The hero does this in the fifteenth step, The Crossing of the Return Threshold. Much in the same way that the Crossing of the First Threshold marked the beginning of the journey and the transition from the hero’s everyday life to the world of adventure, the Crossing of the Return Threshold marks the end of the journey, closes the book on the world of adventure, and returns the hero to their ordinary life. Bringing the hero’s story full circle is one function of this step, but it also showcases the transformation the quest has brought about in the hero. Because they’ve experienced so much, the world they left is not the same to them when they return. Maybe it seems smaller or simpler and they appreciate it in a “there’s no place like home” kind of way.

In other instances the hero may still feel the burden or the longing of the quest and view their familiar home with a sense of dissatisfaction or contempt. This is not because their homeland has changed, necessarily, but because they, themselves have returned transformed. They have transitioned from adolescence to adulthood, and as a result the people they left behind will look at them differently too. In very positive return threshold crossings the hero’s return might be celebrated, and in less positive examples the hero maybe looked at as someone who no longer fits in. Other times the hero has changed so much that they return unrecognized and may have to clear up a few remaining obstacles to prove who they are or that they belong. Either way the hero is noticeably different than they were when they left to begin their journey. Example: Bilbo is looked at as 'off' by his fellow Hobbits. He makes a regular habit from then on to mingle with the likes of Men and Elves.

Master of Two Worlds: Now that the hero is home, the action of the story is complete, yet two steps in the hero cycle remain unfulfilled. These are the two cathartic steps of The Master of Two Worlds and The Freedom to Live, and it makes sense to examine them together because one leads to the other. At its most basic level being The Master of Two Worlds demonstrates that the hero is in control of their everyday world and is also in control of the world of adventure. It also means that the hero can cross the threshold between the two without difficulty.

Being a Master of Two Worlds can also exhibit the hero’s power over the physical, spiritual and emotional sides of themselves. A great example of this archetype is a superhero who retains control over the world of his secret identity, but can don his costumes and exude mastery over the world of adventure as well.

The idea behind The Master of Two Worlds is unmistakable when it shows up in heroes that have experienced a significant personality transformation over the course of the journey. Perhaps they were timid, but now they stand up to the bully or have the courage to ask the guy or girl they’ve been pining for out on a date. Maybe they were arrogant and emotionally dormant and the quest taught them a bit of humility and feeling. Or, they were reluctant to be a hero to begin with, but now are filled with desire to go on more adventures. Not withstanding how it is realized, the point of making the hero the Master of Two Worlds is to show that because of their transformation they are able to handle any situation that arises and achieve any goal they set their mind to.

Freedom to Live: Through the Mastery of Two Worlds the hero can obtain the final step: The Freedom to Live, which in fairy tails and children’s stories is summed up in six words, “And they lived happily ever after.” The only problem with “happily ever after” is that it doesn’t explain how or why. The most important aspect of this step is that the hero gets to live life as they choose free from the burdens of the quest. They might get married and have a family, they might take on the role of mentor to another young adventurer, they may become a well-loved ruler, or they may just decide it’s time to start a new adventure. This Freedom to Live comes as a result of their liberation from any fear, uncertainty, and self-doubt they may have experienced on the quest, thus the importance of the word “freedom.”

Unfortunately some heroes don’t readily get the Freedom to Live as they remain encumbered by the aftermath of their journey. For example, many Greek heroes die at the ends of their journey, or fall out of favor with their people or with the gods. Sometimes, the cowboy rides off into the sunset not to seek the next adventure, but to die from a festering gunshot wound. Still others are so fully transformed that they are unable to integrate back into the societies they left behind. But in all of these sad examples we can still see a glimpse of the Freedom to Live. With the Greek Heroes, many brought about their own downfalls through foolish choices and arrogance. For the dying cowboy it’s the choice to die the way they want to, like a man in the wilderness they love, and sparing their loved ones the heartache of watching them die. Finally, those alienated from society may still find peace in isolation.

After the hero has become the Master of Two Worlds and has earned their Freedom to Live their hero cycle is complete. However, they can enter the realm of adventure again should their Freedom to Live become threatened, which is usually what happens in sequels. If the sequel is a direct continuation of the story, like in the original Star Wars trilogy, or the Lord of the Rings, the hero is likely continuing on the journey they began in the first installment. If the sequel starts a new adventure, then the hero must experience the hero cycle all over again

Now comes the question of how this Heroes Journey is applied in terms of rp. With large scale plots, would be the obvious answer. A war awaits on the doorstop of the kingdom, and we will have those reluctant heroes who don't want to take up arms and fight the demon king. But we will also have those characters who have already walked the Heroes Journey before. They accept their call to action without hesitation, they don't rebel against the concept. And that's okay!

Some Heroes Journeys are not as physical as becoming a wartime figure. Maybe your character fears to become a parent. Or a teacher. Maybe your character is a child and is rebelling against becoming an adult. Maybe your character is a slave, burned down by chains and the fear that they might never escape. These are also Heroes Journeys. They are that characters journey. They are that characters story, their mountains to climb, their Special Worlds they need to overcome in order to find their new, better Ordinary World.

So look at your characters. Look at their story. And start seeing where they fall upon the Heroes Journey. The better you can understand the Cycle, the better you will understand your own character, but it will likewise improve your writing.

Now that we understand a little more about the Heroes Journey, let's take a look at the kinds of characters we tend to see in literature. In his writing, Campbell observed a number of different kinds of archetypal characters that showed up in stories and myths around the world. These character archetypes are so powerful and so deeply rooted in our cultural psyche that telling a compelling story without using them, consciously or unconsciously, is incredibly difficult. In addition to examining stories in terms of the characters, we can apply these character archetypes to our own lives.

The eight character archetypes are the Hero, Companion (Ally), Mentor, Herald, The Threshold Guardian (Guardian), Shadow, Shape-shifter, and the Trickster.

Hero

The Hero in many respects is at once both the most obvious character of a story, and yet is the hardest archetype to pin down because of their obviousness. While we easily recognize the hero, defining them can be a little tricky. There are four things that define a hero of a myth or story:

• The one who completes the quest
• We see the story through their perspective
• Undergoes the most psychological transformation
• They are willing to sacrifice for a cause

Example: Frodo (Lord of the Rings), Aragorn (Lord of the Rings)

Companion

One easy but dramatic way of thinking about the role of the companion is that they dedicate themselves to the hero in the same way that the hero dedicates themselves to the quest.

• Dedicated to the hero
• Keeps the hero on track
• Balances the hero
• There can be more then one companion

Example: Samwise (Lord of the Rings), Gimli (Lord of the Rings), Legolas (Lord of the Rings)

Mentor

As an archetype, the role of the mentor is to support the hero though guidance, advice, training, and often times a sort of unconditional, parental love. This last element can be very important in the development of the hero.

• Imparts knowledge
• Is the teacher or trainer
• Mentors diminish as the quest continues

Example: Gandalf (Lord of the Rings)

Herald

Often times, this Archetype is displayed not so much as a character but as a catalyst to the events to come. It can be a letter of invitation, a strange event like weather or sounds or rumors, or be a person that presents the hero with not just a challenge or threat to overcome but offers a glimpse of a new life to show a dissatisfied hero a peek at a potential new life.

• Foreshadow
• Shows briefly, often at the start of the story.

Examples: Nago/ Boar Demon (Princess Mononoke), Effie (The Hunger Games)

Shadow

Whatever problems the hero encounters along the way, there always seems to be a character or characters that stand opposed to the hero’s progress, and Campbell calls that character the shadow.

• Shadow is not the same as evil
• Is in opposition to the hero
• Exploits others flaws
• Shadow characters can be hidden

Example: Sauron (Lord of the Rings)

Trickster

The trickster as an archetypal character finds it roots in ancient origins as a mischief-maker who enjoys causing strife for his own amusement.

• Is the mischief-maker
• They are an agent of change
• Has their own agenda
• Can be aligned with hero or shadow

Example: Boromir (Lord of the Rings), Grima Wormtongue (Lord of the Rings)

Shape-Shifter

The primary function of the shape-shifter is to cause uncertainty, confusion, imbalance, and temptation in the hero, and the shape-shifter typically does this in a few ways.

• Is never what they seem
• Changes sides

Example: Sarumon (Lord of the Rings), Gollum (Lord of the Rings)

In every story, a character will fall into one of these categories. In terms of rp, your own characters fall within these categories. To your characters own story, they are the Hero, and who they ally with, learn from, or make enemies of, become their Companions, Mentors, Tricksters and Shadows. But your character, in turn, becomes one of these to someone else.

Just because you are the Hero of your own story.. does not mean you can't be the Shadow of someone elses. And that.. makes for interesting story.

The Guardian

The guardian, or Threshold Guardian, is a character that tests the hero before they face their greatest challenge. They can appear at any time in the story, but their purpose is to block the boarder to the 'Special World'. The duty of the threshold guardian is to provide a message, foremost to the Hero but also to the reader. The message to the Hero is 'Go back and forget your quest'. To the audience, it is a foretelling that the story is about to become 'dangerous'. To progress, the Hero must prove their worth.

• Provides the challenge to overcome the mundane world and enter the Special World.

Examples: The Doorknob (Alice in Wonderland), Galadriel (Lord of the Rings)

However, there are other 'Archetypes' to consider as well. While Campbell was often considered the forerunner of the subject, a colleague of his, Carl Jung, a psychologist by trade, expounded upon the traditional archetypes. Jung's Archetypes have since been used as a means of psycho-analyzation by behaviorists and psychologists all over the world, and is the basis for the PMAI (Pearson-Marr Archetype Test). Jungian Archetypes offer their own insight on who a character is in terms of a story.

With Jungian Archetypes, each archetype has both a Balanced and an Imbalanced attribute, or a positive and negative aspect. The most dominant archetype of a person can, therefore, help or harm.

There are 12 Jungian Archetypes: Innocent, Orphan, Warrior, Caregiver, Seeker, Lover, Destroyer, Creator, Ruler, Magician, Sage, and Jester.

Each type will be broken down with both a balanced and imbalanced example.

The Innocent

Balanced

The Innocent gets called or activated when a desire for purity, simplicity, goodness, or trust arises. Naturally optimistic, the Innocent assumes that every cloud has a silver lining, and might also assume that good always prevails. The gifts of the Innocent reflect its calls. They are optimistic and believe that everything will work out in the long run; they don’t let bad situations get them down easily. They believe that people are, for the most part, generally good, therefore they put their faith and trust in them. They appreciate simple virtues in life like fairness, hope and doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do.

Balanced Example

A timeless example of a balanced Innocent is Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy embodies all of the Innocent’s gifts. When she arrives in Oz she approaches the whole experience with a sense of confused wonder, she’s friendly to just about everyone she meets and is very vocal about what she thinks is fair, right, and normal. Also, it is beyond her understanding how someone like the Wicked Witch can be so mean. There are a few moments where she gives into despair, but for the most part she is cautiously optimistic throughout her journey.

Imbalanced

Sometimes the Innocent’s inherent optimism can be problematic and lead them into the pitfalls of the archetype. They might remain blissfully optimistic in the face of obvious danger or failure, or be overly naïve to how the world actually works. This can manifest itself in being blindly trusting of other people, underestimating the difficulties of a project or a quest, or being in denial of the obvious presence of problems. Imbalanced Innocents can also be childishly dependent on others, especially parent figures, and as a result often use people even when that’s not their intent.

Imbalanced Example

A good example of an imbalanced Innocent is Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings. At the beginning of the story Frodo is optimistic and clearly unaware of the troubles in Middle Earth. When Gandalf gives him the ring he is almost completely unaware of the dangers that await him, and this scene plays out again when he volunteers to carry the ring the rest of the way. Frodo is dependent on Gandalf and Aragorn, and is devastated when Gandalf seemingly dies. He is blindly trusting of Gollum even when Sam tells him that he’s devious and manipulative, and naively believes that if he treats him right Gollum can be redeemed. Even the power the ring affords him, invisibility, highlights the Innocent who would rather hide than put up a fight. It is however his innocence that allows him to fight off the corruption of the ring for so long.

Balanced: Optimism, Trust, Faith in Others, Goodness, Simple Virtues

Imbalanced: Naiveté, Denial, Childish Dependence, Repression, Under-Estimates Difficulties

The Orphan

Balanced

The Orphan gets called or activated when a person experiences loneliness, isolation, a tragedy, or a betrayal, or simply when a cautious approach to a problem is needed. The Orphan assumes that it pays to be careful and, if they are a bit on the pessimistic side, that it’s a dog eat dog world. Please keep in mind that Orphans do not literally need to be orphans to fit the archetype. The gifts of the Orphan come about through their calls and assumptions. As a result of something bad or unwanted happening to them they are realistic when it comes to how the world works and the dangers and challenges in it, and have developed a thick-skinned toughness about them so that they aren’t devastated when things go wrong. Balanced Orphans are not pessimistic so much as they are cautious and aware of the dangers and problems around them. They can be self-reliant when they have to be but look for support when they need it and are good at building an interdependent network of people who can help them and that they can lend their support to in turn. Balanced Orphans are also empathetic when it comes to people who are down on their luck or are in similar situations to themselves.

Balanced Example

There are countless literally orphaned heroes from Luke Skywalker, to Batman, to nearly every Disney hero. In fact the orphaned hero has become a bit of a cliché, but it still remains an excellent way to make a hero sympathetic to the audience right from the start. One of many iconic Orphan heroes is Harry Potter. One of his defining characteristics is that he is literally an orphan. As an infant, the evil wizard Voldemort killed Harry’s parents but failed in killing him and he was sent to live with his aunt, uncle, and cousin who view him as a burden and have no love for him. Harry truly has to make his own way in the world, but this abandonment doesn’t make him bitter or cause him to shun other people; he never plays the victim, and rarely feels sorry for himself. Harry has learned to take care of himself, to build mutually beneficial relationships, and to not rely on the gentle guiding hand of a parent figure.

Imbalanced

The imbalanced side of the Orphan dwells on the bad things that have happened to them in the past. Because they have been hurt before the imbalanced Orphan can be cynical and pessimistic even when good things are happening all around them, and can always find something to complain about. Sometimes imbalanced Orphans will simply accept being abused because the alternative of being alone is an even worse prospect in their minds. They often play the role of the victim citing that bad things always happen to them and that life has it out them, and this can lead to excuse making where they blame situations and other people for their own shortcomings and mistakes. At its worst, imbalanced Orphans might reenact the abuses they have endured, turning from victim to victimizer.

Imbalanced Example

Harry Potter’s nemesis Voldemort is a good example of an imbalanced Orphan and shows, unlike Harry, what happens to a character consumed by his resentments. Like Harry, Voldemort grew up as a literal orphan because his mother, a witch, had coerced his father, a muggle (or non-magic person), into loving her through magic. After she stopped giving him the love potion he abandoned her, and she died shortly after giving birth. Voldemort was sent to an orphanage where he had a friendless, miserable childhood. Voldemort came to hate his father and the fact that he shared his father’s muggle blood so much that he murdered his Riddle relatives and sought to wipe out all non-magic users, turning from a self pitying victim to a horrible victimizer.

Balanced: Realism, Empathy, Toughness, Interdependence, Cautiousness

Imbalanced: Cynicism, Victim/Victimizer, Prefers Abuse over Loneliness, Complaining, Excuse Making

The Warrior

Balanced

The Warrior gets called or activated when a challenge arises or when a person has a desire to prove their own worth. The Warrior assumes that the tough prevail and that the victor gets the spoils. The gifts of the Warrior are typically manifested by the desire to fulfill the call of proving their own worth. Balanced Warriors set goals, are disciplined, and are determined to reach those goals but balance their desires with pragmatism, realizing that victory or success should not come at extreme costs. Warriors face their challenges with courage and have a willingness to defend themselves and others physically or intellectually. They also thrive on and are motivated by competition, but don’t feel it’s as important to win as it is just to compete.

Balanced Example

Our media is filled with a number of examples of balanced Warriors. The character of Jake Sully in the movie Avatar depicts a very strong balanced Warrior archetype. At the beginning of the movie, Jake starts as a literal warrior who can no longer fight because he has lost the use of his legs. After receiving his avatar body he is eventually tasked with integrating into the Na’vi tribe and to this end he has to undergo a series of trials to prove his worth to the indigenous people. He approaches each of these challenges with a determination and a desire to not only accomplish his goals but to excel at them. He also demonstrates the more visceral and literal side of the Warrior archetype when he leads the indigenous people of Pandora in a war against the human military industrial complex.

Imbalanced

When the Warrior archetype becomes imbalanced, the determined and competitive aspects of the Warrior can slip into obsessive behavior and an unhealthy desire to turn everything into a contest that they need to win. Because the imbalanced Warrior’s obsession with success is so fierce they can become ruthless and willing to do anything to gain an advantage, or resort to bullying those weaker than themselves just to ensure victory. If the imbalanced Warrior attains success they typically enjoy arrogantly boasting about their achievements. However, if they are unsuccessful they frequently fall into the habit of either/or thinking where they adopt an “if you’re not with me, you’re against me” kind of personality or an “all or nothing” kind of mentality.

Imbalanced Example

Kratos, from the God of War game series exudes all of the traits of the imbalanced Warrior. Even before the start of the series Kratos was a bloodthirsty warrior who served the corrupt god Ares. But, when the god tricks him into slaying his wife and daughter, Kratos becomes obsessed with taking revenge. After slaying Ares, Zeus betrays Kratos, and his ruthlessness and brutality grow even more, to the point that it becomes nothing for him to snuff out innocent lives if it means achieving the victory he desires. Additionally, several gods attempt to reason or bargain with him, but he is so obsessed with achieving his goal that he views all those who do not readily aid him as his enemies.

Balanced: Discipline, Courage, Determination, Competitive, Goal Setting, Self-Defense

Imbalanced: Ruthlessness, Arrogance, Obsessive, Everything is a Contest, Needs to Win, Bully

The Caregiver

Balanced

The Caregiver is called or activated when one sees a person, animal, or community in need. The Caregiver values the needs of those around them and believes that you should always help others, and treat others the way you would like to be treated. The gifts of the balanced Caregiver naturally reflect the idea of helping others. They are compassionate to those in need, and comfort those who are hurt, sad, or unable to take care of themselves. As a result, they are very giving of their time, resources and money, especially if they feel that their generosity will help not only to assist individuals but will better the community as a whole with the belief that a rising tide lifts all boats. The balanced Caregiver gets enjoyment out of helping others better themselves. Thus, they nurture and support individuals as they grow, especially children, as they grow, and are quick to forgive when others make mistakes or do them harm.

Balanced Example

While it can be difficult to find a hero cast in the role of a Caregiver, they frequently show up in the mentor role. A good example of the Caregiver in the Hero role is Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon. Hiccup lives in a warrior society that is in a constant struggle with dragons. He aspires to be a great warrior, but when he wounds a dragon and sees its fear and suffering, he is filled with compassion for it and at great personal risk nurtures it back to health. As he spends more time with dragons he learns they aren’t the monsters people think they are. Then, instead of fighting dragons he finds non-violent ways to subdue and then befriend them, and eventually convinces his community to accept that dragons and humans can mutually coexist.

Imbalanced

Imbalanced Caregivers tend to control and manipulate those they are caring for into doing what they think is best, and have a hard time coping if their charges don’t take their advice. Thus, imbalanced Caregivers can quickly learn to resent those they are caring for and begin to guilt trip them, or conversely will start to play the martyr, exposing themselves to more difficulties which comes at the expense of their own well being and serves to justify their resentments. Additionally, imbalanced Caregivers frequently gravitate to codependent relationships where their need to be needed can be fulfilled. This attitude often leads to the enabling of unacceptable behavior, and a shortsightedness that the only people that matter are those people under their care.

Imbalanced Example

The classic fairy-tales of Snow White, Cinderella, and Rapunzel and their well known Disney adaptations provide strong examples of imbalanced Caregivers. The wicked stepmothers in Snow White and Cinderella are examples of characters who show a lack of the Caregiver archetype altogether. However, Mother Gothel from Tangled embodies almost all of the Caregiver’s pitfalls. She spends most of the movie manipulating Rapunzel through guilt tripping, acting like a martyr, and telling her how naïve and gullible she is. Her song “Mother Knows Best” exemplifies the idea of a Caregiver keeping their charge under their influence by destroying their charge’s confidence. Additionally, she has an unusual co-dependencey with Rapunzel who’s magic hair keeps her young.

Balanced: Compassion, Nurturing, Generosity, Sense of Community, Forgiving

Imbalanced: Martyrdom, Co-Dependent, Enabling, Guilt-Tripping, Control and Manipulate

The Seeker

Balanced

The Seeker becomes active when one has the desire to change their surroundings. This might stem from negative forces like dissatisfaction, boredom or alienation, or it could grow out of a yearning to get away or try something new. The Seeker believes in the truth of the idiom that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. The gifts of the balanced Seeker reflect the archetype’s ability to change situations and accept the thrill of discovery and adventure. The balanced Seeker is usually willing to take a risk and try something new even if they are unsure of what the results might yield, and isn’t afraid of being different from those around them. These traits are especially useful given the Seekers constant desire to explore the world and journey to places they have never been. The confidence they carry is rooted in a strong sense of identity and by the fact that they have proven their ability to be autonomous. This sense of independence often transitions into a form of self-improving ambitiousness where they look at every new challenge as a means to expand their potential, and thus they quickly adapt to and embrace change.

Balanced Example

The spirit of the balanced Seeker archetype is embodied in the Star Trek franchise where the mission is to literally “seek out new life, new civilizations, and to boldly go where no one has gone before.” This of course indicates the focus of the franchise as being centered on the ideas of discovery, ambition and the willingness to journey into the unknown. The Seeker archetype can also be seen in Captain Kirk. While Kirk certainly displays traits of other PMAI archetypes his Seeker can be seen in his willingness to lead the journey in the first place and the fact that he constantly leads the away missions. He is simply too full of a natural curiosity to see the alien worlds to just sit idly on the ship. Additionally, he’s ambitious and clearly sure of his identity, as he’s not afraid to be unpopular, or do things differently.

Imbalanced

While the balanced Seeker’s sense of identity allows them to adapt to change quickly, the imbalanced Seeker frequently mistakes the idea of fleeing from and avoiding their problems as a solution to them. Typically this act fails to alleviate the problem and they are left with a strong feeling of dissatisfaction when an end result fails to live up to what they envisioned. By repeating this pattern again and again, this simple dissatisfaction can grow into feelings of chronic disappointment. Oftentimes this disappointment is the result of jumping into things without stopping to fully consider the risks or ask important questions. The imbalanced Seeker’s tendency to blindly and spontaneously commence new adventures makes it difficult for them to commit to people, relationships, and jobs. Furthermore these kinds of attachments can make the imbalanced Seeker feel tied down and stir-crazy, yet the rejection of these attachments can cause them to feel alienated and alone.

Imbalanced Example

While he is the hero in his movie franchise, Indiana Jones reflects many traits of the imbalanced Seeker. Indy seems to have the inability to resist an adventure even suspending the classes he teaches in order to pursue ancient artifacts and treasures. Additionally, he often begins these adventures without really knowing what he’s getting into and, as a result, subjects himself and his friends to life-threating risks. This self-focused lifestyle puts a lot of strain on his relationships, which can be seen in his lack of connection with his various love-interests, friends, father and son. Even more frustrating for him is the fact that in the end he never really gets to hold on to the objects he was questing after as they are stolen, lost, or confiscated, leaving him chronically disappointed, unfulfilled and necessitating more adventures.

Balanced: Autonomy, Sure of Identity, Ambition, Willing to be Different, Adventurous, Tries New Things

Imbalanced: Chronic Disappointment, Dissatisfaction, Inability to Commit, Alienation, Difficulty Fitting In, Inability to Question

The Lover

Balanced

The Lover archetype becomes active when a person feels the pull to connect with others, is actively in love or falling in love with a person, an occupation, or an activity. While the name of this archetype seems to indicate romantic love, it is a sense of connectivity that is central to the archetype, be it romantic or platonic. The Lover believes in the mantra: love is the answer and it’s all you need. The gifts of the balanced Lover start with a passion for someone or something and the ability to turn that passion into something beneficial for everyone involved. In this sense the balanced Lover connects easily with others through their friendly and outgoing nature. They approach new friendships and activities with a sense of genuine enthusiasm, and are willing to commit to relationships past a superficial level. While the expression of this archetype is not necessarily romantic it is often felt most strongly in romantic and sexual relationships along side the pleasure and happiness associated with them.

Balanced Example

While she may not always make the best choices, Anna, from Disney’s Frozen is a strong example of a balanced Lover. While being cooped up in her castle, she dreams of the companionship of her sister and friends, as well as romance. Once she’s out of the castle her enthusiasm and outgoing personality allow her to connect with just about anybody. Although one of these connections eventually goes sour, it’s important to remember that she develops a number of other important relationships, and that her quest to find and help her sister is driven by the love and commitment she feels for her, regardless of the fact that Elsa has shut Anna out of her life for years. In the end it’s Anna’s selfless act of love that saves both Elsa, herself, and the entire kingdom.

Imbalanced

The greatest strength of the balanced Lover is to forge deep meaningful connections with others, while the imbalanced Lover uses this ability to objectify and use others. Imbalanced Lovers frequently use and manipulate people for whatever purpose suits them at the time. At first the imbalanced Lover might not feel like they are intentionally doing this but if the behavior becomes habitual or out of control addictions to sex and relationships can develop. On the other hand, an unhealthy obsession with someone or a feeling of jealousy directed at someone they are in love with is a frequent reaction of the imbalanced Lover when they are not getting their way. When these feelings become acute the imbalanced Lover may become vindictive or abusive. This is especially magnified if the Lover has lost themselves in another person and has become codependent.

Imbalanced Example

The classic literary and cinema character of Count Dracula embodies the imbalanced Lover. On the surface he is a mysterious and handsome eastern European gentleman in evening-wear who uses his presence, charisma, and hypnotic stare to lure women into compromised situations. Yet, beyond the sexual metaphor implicit in his seductions and the swapping of fluids (in this case blood), Dracula is fueled by his desire for connection. When describing why he wants to journey to London Dracula says “I long to go through the crowded streets of your mighty London, to be in the midst of the whirl and rush of humanity, to share its life, its change, its death, and all that makes it what it is.” Dracula craves life that is beyond his reach and requires the blood of his victims to attain that feeling. When his final victim, Mina, is still alive, but under his spell he feeds off her life-force and the psychic connection he shares with her as much as if not more than he feeds off her blood. These fleeting, abusive, obsessive connections with his victims are the only things that give him a reprieve from his solitary existence.

Balanced: Passion, Commitment, Enthusiasm, Connects Easily to Others, Sensual Pleasure

Imbalanced: Objectifying Others, Sex/Love Addiction, Vindictive, Obsession, Jealousy/Envy

The Destroyer

Balanced

The Destroyer is called or activated when a person feels the need to end bad situations, or start over. Or, when they feel powerless, angry, mistreated or under siege and they want to escape those feelings or change those situations. The Destroyer assumes that it’s best to cut your losses and move on. While the word Destroyer tends to have a negative connotation to it, the gifts of the Destroyer show how positive the archetype can be. Perhaps the most important gift the balanced Destroyer has is the ability to put an end to unproductive and/or damaging habits, projects, and relationships by recognizing the problems with them and then having the strength to do something about it. Sometimes these changes can be small and the balanced Destroyer just moves on from them. But even in life changing events, like the loss of a loved one, an active Destroyer has the capacity to let the emotions run their course and let go. In other situations the balanced Destroyer acts as a revolutionary force that works toward tearing down ineffective or unjust systems so that a metamorphosis can occur and better things can rise from the proverbial (and sometimes actual) ashes.

Balanced Example

Disney/Pixar’s Up provides an interesting look at the necessity of the balanced Destroyer archetype through the character of Carl Fredrickson, an elderly man who has never moved past the death of his wife and clings to all of her things, and holds up in his house as the world changes around him. At this point, Carl has no active Destroyer but when the court orders him to leave, a metamorphosis begins and he transforms his house into an airship with thousands of balloons, and he sets off to live out his and his wife’s dream. However, though the course of his journey many of the balloons pop and in order to keep his house afloat, he has to let go of several of the things, both physical and emotional, that he had been holding on to for years. In the end Carl scarifies his house to save a boy named Russell. When Russell says he’s sorry about his house, Carl responds with “It’s just a house,” showing that the balanced Destroyer has helped him make his peace.

Imbalanced

Where the balanced Destroyer helps a person work through problems in positive ways, the imbalanced Destroyer has a tendency to let anger, fear, and spite guide them through situations. When the imbalanced Destroyer is wronged or is in a situation that they find unfair, they can become critical and undermining of others. If they feel particularly wronged a desire for vengeance might build in them, and if these negative feelings fester, an imbalanced Destroyer can become willing to strike out violently and cause harm to others. While acting as a revolutionary force can be positive, revolutionary actions can easily become imbalanced and change into hostile terrorist ones. Sometimes instead of focusing their frustrations outward, imbalanced Destroyers will instead cause harm to themselves.

Imbalanced Example

Although he remains the hero of his story, V, in V for Vendetta, is an excellent example of an imbalanced Destroyer. While we might sympathize with his reasons for being obsessed with revenge there is no denying that his method to bring an end to the corrupt regime and blow up the parliament building is through terrorist actions. Furthermore, his deception and torturing of Evey as a means to gain her sympathy shows that he is willing to harm innocents in his quest for retribution. While he eventually achieves his goals, his self-destructive nature catches up with him and he dies in the process. While in some ways it feels as though the ends justified the means, the means were, nevertheless, elements of the imbalanced Destroyer.

Balanced: Metamorphosis, Revolution, Capacity to Let Go, End Unproductive Habits/Projects/Relationships, Recognizing Problems, Cost/Benefit Analysis

Imbalanced: Criticizing, Undermines Others, Out of Control Anger, Harm to Self and Others, Terrorist Tactics, Vengeful

The Creator

Balanced

The Creator is called or activated when a problem needs an innovative solution or when a person is struck with a flash of inspiration. The Creator assumes that what can be imagined can be created. The gifts of the balanced Creator begin with their wonderful imaginations. After a Creator imagines a new way to do something, or envisions some kind of artistic expression they often have the skill required to turn their vision into a tangible reality. Their ability to do this rests in the balanced Creator’s innate artistry. Many balanced Creators are highly resourceful, and inventive, finding alternative ways to use things that may not seem intuitive to others at first. The same idea also applies to situations where the same old ideas are no longer viable. A balanced Creator can use their imaginative mind to work through the problem in a new way and find a new solution. Finally, balanced Creators maintain a healthy interest in regards to their creative pursuits and don’t overly indulge self-criticism of their work. Because there are so many avenues through which to be creative, there are nearly countless ways and situations where these gifts can be applied.

Balanced Example

An excellent example of a balanced Creator can be seen through the Lego brand. From the blocks and sets themselves, to the video games and cartoon series, Lego allows users to embrace their creative sides, or at the very least to passively explore them. As far as characters go, Emmet, the hero of the Lego Movie is an ordinary guy with almost no creativity who gets caught up in a quest with a heroic resistance group known as the Master Builders. These Master Builders have the vision and skill to build anything they need at a moments notice out of Lego pieces. Emmet struggles with his lack of imagination throughout most of the story but in the end he proves to be incredibly resourceful and foils Lord Business’s plan by discovering his inner creativity.

Imbalanced

Where the balanced Creator gets a feeling of liberation and excitement from expressing their inventive and artistic sides, the imbalanced Creator becomes trapped by it. One of the most significant pitfalls of the imbalanced Creator is the desire for perfection. Sometimes they will become obsessed with a project and spend countless hours on it only to be dissatisfied with it in the end. This frustration often gives way to procrastination where they would rather distract themselves from the project, or take on or develop a number of other less useful projects or ideas. At its core this behavior is self-indulgent as the imbalanced Creator only does things the way they want to. As a result they often abandon projects when they become too much work and leave clutter and messes in their wake.

Imbalanced Example

The classic literary and cinematic character of Dr. Victor Frankenstein is a perfect example of an imbalanced Creator. Frankenstein becomes obsessed with assembling a man from body parts and bringing it to life. He toils in isolation for months thinking of nothing but his creation, but once he brings his man to life he’s shocked and horrified at what he has done. He was so consumed with perfecting the details of his man that he failed to see the forest for the trees when it came to the overall result. Disgusted with both its appearance and the moral ramifications of what he has done, he abandons the pitiful creature, which is akin to starting a project—creating life—but not finishing it—raising and caring for it. Of course, this act of self-indulgence is his undoing as his creation eventually returns to ruin his life.

Balance: Invention, Vision, Skill, Artistry, Imaginative, Resourceful, Clever

Imbalanced: Self-Indulgent, Creating Clutter/Messes, Worthless Projects or Ideas, Creating Drama and Difficulty, Perfectionism, Procrastination, Poverty

The Ruler

Balanced

The Ruler is called or activated when there is a lack of order, resources, or harmony, or when they feel compelled to lead. The Ruler assumes that one should exercise control. The gifts of the balanced Ruler stem from their willingness and desire to take charge of various situations, especially when a situation lacks order or direction. In these cases a balanced Ruler can exert control, develop a system that works, and adds a level of order and organization. Balanced Rulers have a keen understanding of people, and play to their strengths and help them better their weaknesses. Likewise, they also are system savvy and know what they have to do, or who they have to talk to in order to keep things running smoothly. Despite their sovereignty, balanced Rulers remain balanced by applying the aforementioned standards and analyses to their own lives by living according to a set a values. They use their authority to not only empower themselves but to empower others.

Balanced Example

The character of Nick Fury in the Marvel cinematic universe is a good example of a balanced Ruler. He is the leader of SHIELD and clearly has an understanding of both the system under which his organization operates, and the various organizations and systems at large in the world. Additionally, while he’s quick to take charge of situations, he demonstrates a set of standards and values that he lives by. He never uses his position of power to gain an advantage for himself; he works only to benefit others and get the job done. While Fury has no super-powers, his strength lies in his ability to take control of a wide variety of heroes, each with their own problematic quirks and deep seeded flaws and manages to get them to work together toward common goals.

Imbalanced

While the objective of the balanced Ruler is to empower others, the imbalanced Ruler only seeks to empower themselves. For the imbalanced Ruler, personal power is their ultimate goal, and they are willing to sacrifice people and ethics to reach that ambition. They will exploit loopholes and weaknesses in the system to better their situation, and if they already have power they will use that power to manipulate people and situations, and set up unfair rules that only benefit themselves and people like them. While this behavior can start out relatively small and harmless, the imbalanced Ruler runs the risk of becoming an elitist and develop a sense of entitlement. If this attitude goes unchecked, it can develop into tyrannical behavior.

Imbalanced Example

While there are countless fictional and real world examples of power hungry imbalanced Rulers, it’s hard to find a viler example than the character of the boy King Joffrey Baratheon in the series Game of Thrones. Joffrey developed a sense of entitlement from a very early age. He is arrogant, demanding, and petulant, and when his father dies and he is made king he becomes tyrannical in his behavior. He is sadistic and has people executed for minor offensives or simply to flaunt his power. He cares for no one but himself and maybe his mother, and drags the entire kingdom into civil war when he refuses to listen to the advice he’s given. As his reign continues, he falls deeper and deeper into the imbalanced side of the Ruler and his tyranny tears apart his kingdom, and his family.

Balanced: Sovereignty, Control, Living by Values, Taking Charge, System Savvy, Organization, Understanding People’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Imbalanced: Viewing People as a Commodity, Sacrificing Ethics for Power, Sense of Entitlement, Elitist, Tyrannical Behavior, Exploiting the rules, Insecurity

The Magician

Balanced

The Magician is called or activated when a situation requires a change of attitude or when a person observes meaningful coincidences, has hunches, or needs to instill faith in others. The Magician assumes that perception defines reality. The gifts of the balanced Magician grow out of their trust in their intuition. They tend to rely on the feelings in their heart and in their gut more than the assertions of their mind. This enables them to change their thoughts and behavior and this in turn foments changes to the situation and the end result. While some of the balanced Magician’s strength is derived from the power of positivity, it is also driven by a faith in something greater than themselves (religious or otherwise). Regardless, where the balanced Magician truly shines is in their ability to be inspired and inspire others to make changes in their lives and in society. Acting as a catalyst for change, the balanced Magician is a visionary who has the charisma to galvanize support behind a cause and rouse others to act.

Balanced Example

Historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, Walt Disney, and Steve Jobs would all, for the most part, make good examples of balanced Magicians. As far as fictional characters go, Ralph, in Disney’s Wreck-it Ralph, is somewhat of an accidental Magician. As a villain in a video game, Ralph is disillusioned in regards to his place in the world and turns to a support group for some guidance and inspiration. He decides that he wants to stop feeling like a bad guy and by changing his thoughts and actions he sets off to be a hero in a different game. His journey takes him to a candy themed racing game where he helps a glitch character named Vanellope. The two serve as a catalytic force in each other’s lives as Ralph helps to instill self-faith in Vanellope, and Vanellope inspires Ralph to become a true hero. While there is a set back in their relationship, Ralph saves the day in the end and his vision of a video game society where villains and inactive or lost game characters are treated with respect becomes a reality.

Imbalanced

The imbalanced Magician uses their traits to manipulate and control others. Often times the imbalanced Magician is so dissatisfied with their reality that they develop an obsessive need to escape from it. They frequently disconnect from reality by embracing unhealthy and/or addictive behaviors and by getting drawn into activities and groups that exploit their faith (religious or otherwise). Thus, they have a tendency to get hooked by charismatic leaders or gurus, or on the flip-side, to become one. When the imbalanced Magician is the one in the position of authority, they manipulate and control others to see the world the way they want them to see it, and overwhelm people with unreasonably high expectations. If this kind of behavior is overly indulged, cult behavior might develop.

Imbalanced Example

A frightening example of an imbalanced Magician can be seen in one of Batman’s most dangerous enemies: Ra’s al Ghul. Although there are some significant differences between his depictions in the comic books and in the movie Batman Begins, the traits of the imbalanced Magician are consistent. Ra’s is the leader of cult like group known as the League of Assassins, and is hell-bent on transforming the world, which he sees as terminally corrupt, by any means necessary. To this end he attempts to recruit Bruce Wayne to his cause, but sets expectations so high that even Batman can’t truly measure up to them. When Batman refuses to help him he attempts to manipulate him through other means, including his own daughter. Additionally, the comic book version of Ra’s al Ghul also has a tremendous disconnect from reality as he keeps himself alive by bathing in a toxic spring known as the Lazarus pit. While the liquid restores his youth and his life it also drives him insane.

Balanced: Transformative, Catalytic Power, Visionary, Inspirational, Charisma

Imbalanced: Selfish Manipulation, Overwhelm Others with High Expectations, Disconnect from Reality, Cult Activity, Zealot

The Sage

Balanced

The Sage is called or activated when there is confusion over something and deep desire for knowledge and truth develops. The Sage assumes that knowledge is power and that the truth will set you free. The gifts of the balanced Sage develop out of their curiosity and their desire to understand why things are the way they are. They are hungry for not just information but the true understanding that comes with cultivating that information into knowledge and then applying that knowledge in their judgments and choices, attaining wisdom in the process. Balanced Sages enjoy studying the past and learning from the discoveries and mistakes of others, but retain a healthy skepticism toward information, new and old, until they find a reason to trust in it. To this end a balanced Sage tries to approach ideas, including their own, with clear and critical thinking and they rely on logic and reasoning to draw their conclusions. Balanced Sages enjoy sharing their knowledge with others and also try to develop an objective, non-attached view of the world and things.

Balanced Example

While Dr. Charles Xavier--leader of Marvel’s The X-Men, and for that matter most fictional balanced Sages--plays the role of mentor, there are many times in both the comics and movies where Xavier is thrust into the hero role. At his core Xavier is a scientific genius who shares his knowledge to guide and mentor young mutants who attend his private school. His power lies in his mind. He is not only intelligent but has the ability to gain new information by reading and controlling minds. For Xavier knowledge is literally power, but he uses that power to educate and inform others. While he is passionate about his cause he is more attached to the principal of his beliefs, and thus has a non-attachment to many of the emotional aspects of it. This allows him to remain objective and clear-headed when making decisions. His rivalry with Magneto is highlighted by his desire to learn from the past and teach others as opposed to Magneto’s plan to simply eliminate his enemies.

Imbalanced

While the balanced Sage is open to sharing their knowledge, the imbalanced Sage has a tendency to believe that their wisdom is sacred. Because of this, many imbalanced Sages develop an ivory tower mentality that disconnects them with everyday people. Once this mentality sets in, an imbalanced Sage can acquire a pompous and negatively critical attitude where they flaunt their intelligence, are condescending, and lack empathy because they believe others are beneath them intellectually. Imbalanced Sages are often dogmatic believing their opinions are facts, they get hung up on their own sometimes impractical way of doing things, and get trapped in their own thought processes. Finally, whereas the balanced Sage is skeptical the imbalanced Sage is cynical when it comes to new information.

Imbalanced Example

The imbalanced version of the Sage is often embodied in various fictional geniuses, savants, nerds, geeks, robots, aliens, but perhaps it is best portrayed by Sherlock Holmes. Holmes is a great detective who uses his keen observational powers to arrive at very accurate assertions. However his approach to others is one of arrogance, pomposity, and an inability to empathize. When Holmes is on a case, he ignores basic physical needs like eating and sleeping, and when he’s not working he isolates himself from the rest of the world. He is sarcastic and critical of those who he feels are not his intellectual equals, which is close to everybody. Many of his other mannerisms and methods are impractical and dogmatic, but do have the fortunate side effect of being effective.

Balanced: Wisdom, Non-Attachment, Knowledge, Clear & Critical Thinking, Skepticism, Learns From the Past, Shares Knowledge

Imbalanced: Ivory Tower, Lacking Empathy, Cynicism, Pomposity, Impracticality, Dogmatic, Negative Criticism

The Jester

Balanced

The Jester is called or activated when there is an overwhelming feeling of boredom, solemnity, or seriousness and the mood needs to be lightened, or when situations need to be livened up. The Jester assumes that life is meant to be enjoyed. The greatest strength of the balanced Jester is their ability to live in the moment, as opposed to dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Because of this they tend to make it a priority to spend their time doing activities and work that they enjoy. By living their lives this way balanced Jesters are typically able to find happiness and joy and are good at alleviating stress in themselves and others. Part and parcel of a balanced Jester is a good sense of humor, and they can share the benefits of this archetype when they share their humor and opinions with others. Finally balanced Jesters have the skill to reveal their often wise observations about people, ideas, and situations in ways that mask their bluntness and subversiveness with humor, and in turn, get people to think about things in new ways.

Balanced Example

One could examine a number of the PMAI archetypes by studying the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle franchise. Splinter would be a Sage and Magician, Leonardo a Ruler, Donatello a Creator, Raphael a Warrior, and Michelangelo would be a great example of a balanced Jester. Mikey is unquestionably the most fun-loving of all the turtles and enjoys cracking jokes and bringing levity to tense situations. While he’s not necessarily intellectual, his observations of the obvious or the off the wall often reveal deep truths or provide the key to solving problems, even if he’s not the one solving the problem himself. Additionally, Mikey seems to have a stronger handle on his emotions than his brothers, largely due to the fact that he’s laid-back, truly enjoys life, and does his best not to worry about the past or the future.

Imbalanced

Living in the moment can be a wonderful thing, but for the imbalanced Jester this lifestyle can quickly slip into debauchery and a hedonistic mentality. The imbalanced Jester is self-indulgent; they want to have their fun now as well as later and as a result are typically unreliable and irresponsible. If these traits go unchecked, the constant pursuit of pleasure and comfort can lead to addictive behaviors. The imbalanced Jester’s intrinsic sense of humor can become self-serving, where their amusement comes before all others. Consequently, they use cruel pranks, mean jokes, and humor as a weapon to belittle others, and in turn, insulate their ego.

Imbalanced Example

While nearly all of the characters on South Park are amusing in one way or another, Eric Cartman best personifies many aspects of the imbalanced Jester. At his most basic, Cartman is mean, finding enjoyment in the mistreatment and suffering of others, and helps to further their misery by making fun of and directing cruel jokes and pranks at them. In many ways Cartman is the picture of self-indulgence, doing anything that makes him happy or comfortable in the moment regardless of the consequences or whom it hurts. When his plans backfire, he does everything in his power to avoid responsibility. Finally, his ability to seemingly fool most of the adults around him, especially his mother, helps to further his hedonistic tendencies.

Balanced: Humor, Relieving Stress, Can Tell the Truth Through Humor, Exuberant Joy, Live in the Moment, Happiness in Life

Imbalanced: Self-Indulgent, Irresponsible, Mean, Cruel Pranks, Debauchery, Humor as a Weapon

These Archetypes are all aspects that exist within a person at one time. These aspects are evolving based on a persons experiences. For example, at one time, we were all Innocent. As we got older, some people became Caregivers, others became Warriors, and still others presented as Sages as a dominant archetype. Over the course of someones life, they will present with at least 2 dominant Positive archetypes, and at least 2 dominant Negative archetypes, or the parts of our personalities that are the weakest. So a person could be a Balanced Warrior.. but an Imbalanced Magician at the same time. And this style of archetype exists for our characters as well

Your character is the Hero of his or her own story. That is their archetypal Role. But their archetypal personality is a build up and mix of the these 12 'Psychological Roles'. So look at your character. Consider their history, their Heroes Journey, how they have reacted to people, beliefs, situations. What are their Dominant Archetypes? Which of those Archetypes are Balanced? These balanced archetypes are the emotional and mental skills that draw people to them, that make them shine and give them strength. Now which of these Archetypes are Imbalanced? These imbalanced archetypes are the emotional and mental flaws. And those flaws, the causes for them, the things they make a character do are what make a character relateable. These are the aspects that help make a figment of imagination.. Human.

So with all that in mind... What Makes a Hero? And more than that, what makes them 'real'? What makes a character someone we want to root for, follow, emulate.. and how do we get there? How do we not write ourselves into the pitfall of depthless shells, to keep a character from being.. forgettable? How do we make it so people care about a figment of ones imagination?

The Archetypal Hero that we see in modern media, and even in the myths of yore, have a near god like quality to them. Virtuous and powerful. Look through the collections of Marvel and DC, through manga and anime and video games, and you will see a pattern within a pattern. These Heroes are on a massive scale, the morality to do good and the power to ensure it happens. The power to change worlds.

And there is nothing wrong with it.

However, on the opposite end of the spectrum, we also have the lesser seen types of Heroes.

The Heroes who don't have the power to change the world so easily, but have the heart to do so. The characters that struggle. The characters that, despite overwhelming odds against their situation, their world, their beliefs.. they persevere. The characters who give us hope because they, despite being ungodly, can still do godly things. These characters like us mundane mortals.

The other thing that can be done is a suggestion that has been said time and time again, really. Flaws. The way to make a Hero seem great.. is through their imperfections. While the archetypal Hero is someone we all want to emulate, (After all who didn't want to be Batman or Wonderwoman when they were younger?), in many cases that character can have a habit of feeling.. too perfect. But it is the imperfections of a character that make them human. And in being human.. they become relateable. Their fears, their struggles, their failures and successes are pieces of an evolving puzzle that makes a character real because we have been there ourselves. We have fallen, we get up, we get hurt, we heal, we stumble back, and we surge forward. We fight with our beliefs, with our loves and our hatreds,

And what we as writers need to keep in consideration is that there is a difference between a character flaw and a character plot device to make them seem flawed. If we look at Superman, for example, when we think of his Flaw, we might say 'Kryptonite'. And while yes, this is a flaw that physically weakens him.. it doesn't impact his behavior. Take away the kryptonite, his personality is still the same. Add the kryptonite.. his personality is still the same. This Flaw is more a plot device intended to create a challenge. But it does not challenge his perception or beliefs, only his muscle.

But you look at Aragorn, and you see a Flawed Man. Blessed by the blood of kings, but shunning his history, his destiny. For all he was a great combatant and a wise man, he had fear in his heart and doubt in his abilities. How could he bring the race of Men from the brink? Throughout all of Lord of the Rings, we saw a man fight with the outside forces of evil, but also the forces of evil that resided in him. He was mortal. He had no great powers save a skill with a blade. It was through his journey that his deeds began to speak for him, to gather the hope and faith of others, and through their beliefs, began to accept his destiny. His beliefs, his view of the world and of himself evolved. This is a journey that we, as writers and as an audience, are familiar with. It is the journey we take every day, be it our trials to find work or finish school, to seek help and overcome doubt. Aragorn is a flawed man. And that makes him feel real.

Another aspect of making a Hero feel real is their perception of their reality. What do they think Good truly is. Where does the line get drawn on Evil? Is it black and white? Or is their morality touched by shades of grey? How do they act on that perception? How does their perception impact the people and world around them?

A Hero is more than the sum of their parts.

It is a sense of virtuousness. It is their morality. It is their power, physical and spiritual and emotional. It is their perception. It is their ability to impact the world around them.. and it is their inability to impact it but their drive to try regardless. It is their strengths and it is their weaknesses. The key here is to understand that it isn't just a dice roll, it isn't just a series of numbers to explain statistics, it isn't just a form to be filled out. Who a character is is an amalgamation of their thoughts, their beliefs, their culture and history. Experiences that broke them down and built them up. The people they surround themselves with, the villains they face.. and the villains they might become. Their Heroes Journey.

A Hero only truly feels real, feels memorable, feels impactful, when these pieces are put together. So look around you. Look at the stories you love most, the games you enjoy best, your own characters.

And how 'real' are they?

What is their Heroes Journey?

And just as importantly... What is Yours?

While a hero character is considered to be an idealist, extraordinary, a protector who is virtuous and pure, an anti-hero is.. well. Anything but. Where Heroes in literature and film are the ones who win the day, an anti-hero is often doomed to failure. An anti-hero doesn't always possess good qualities or personality traits. Not to say that a Heroic character can't be the same (I.e., Flaws), an Anti-Hero often does not grow to overcome them. But it is in these 'not so shiny' traits that we as an audience tend to relate to anti-heroes more.

In many stories, anti-heroes are rebels, perceived as criminals and villains. They have fewer inhibitions and their motivations are often selfish. They aren't good for goods sake, but because it can get them from point A to point B. They don't fight crime for 'good' reasons, many bumble their way into it, and most of the time, they are vigilantes. They are content to conformity until it presses the wrong buttons, and then they are willing to destroy the establishment rather than fix it. A Hero will not cross a certain line. An Anti-Hero sees the line but chooses to either hover over it or ignore it completely if it means doing what they feel is best to fix a problem.


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