My Hero's Journey

I'd have to say my hero would be Simba from The Lion King. He goes through this intense journey as he tries to win back his land and bring his kingdom back to it's feet. Although many young children don't see it, The Lion King is an incredible and absolutely typical representation of Campbell's stages of drama.

1. The Ordinary World- Simba is introduces first as a mischevious young boy just waiting for trouble. But after the tragic death of his father, he is forced to flee from the one and only place he knows. He is therefore stranded causing the stress and saddness within him.

2. The Call to Adventure- After many years of living easy by the motto "Akuna Mattata", Nala, a friend form his past finds him and tells him of how life is at home. The terrible news shakes up the situation. Simba is now forced with a decision to either go back home and save his kingdom or ignore the problem because it's not his to deal with.

3. Refusal of the Call- Although Simba thinks this news is terrible, he decides right off the bat that he CAN NOT go back. He couldn't face his family or his home because of what he did to his father. Or what he thinks he did for that matter. His fear of what everyone will think of him overcomes his bravery and courage that he doesn't know still exists inside of him.

4. Meeting with the Mentor- A while later, that crazy monkey stops in his path. He gives him the reasons why he has to go back and why this would be the only way to really get his father back.

5. Crossing the Threshold- After getting hit in the head a few times by the crazy monkey, he finally gets some sense knocked into him and embarks on his quest to save his kingdom.

6. Test, Allies, and Enemies- When Simba gets back home, he realizes that all that Nalla has told him is true, yet he never thought it was as bad as what he sees. He sees his mother getting emotionally and physically attacked and this pains him to see this. He sees his fellow friends and allies getting tortured by the nasty hyenas. And eventually sees Scar which he has targetted as his main offense.

7. Approach- Simba finally gets his alone time with Scar, ready to finally end Scar and get his kingdom back to who and where it belongs. He's confronted with not only Scar himself, but the terrible memories of his past that come flooding back to him as he sees Scar's face.

8. The Ordeal- There's a moment where Scar has Simba by the hands while Simba is hanging off of a cliff, and Scar reveals that that's exactly how he killed Simba's father. Simba finally realizes that it was Scar who killed his father. This seems to be his biggest fear of coming back home, and having Scar reveal this truth springs a whole new life to Simba and makes him more powerful than ever.

9. The Reward- After Scar dies, Simba and the other lions and lioness rejoice now that their kingdom is restored.

10. The Road Back- Simba now realizes this is where he belongs and he can finally come home. The scene changes from dark to plentiful and green showing how hard the mission truly was.

11. The Ressurection- Simba now has to stand up to the plate and take his rightful place as king. This sort of symbolizes the purifying and rebirth of Simba, now as the king of the Prideland.

12. Return with the Elixir- Simba has officially returned home. He has a baby with Nalla and the last scene ends with their baby being help up by the monkey and showing all the kingdom the prince. It shows how Simba has transformed into the lion and the king he thought he would be when he was young.