The Hero's Journey

Just as a reference for this project, I'm posting the twelve steps of the Hero's Journey so you can have a basic understanding of what each step means. These are all excerpts from a book called The Writers Journey. I'm refraining from spinning these steps in my own words, in order to keep them as simple as possible.

The Ordinary World
This is where the hero is from, the original setting. It is the normal, mundane world. It is vital to any good story to have at least a peak into this usual place, in order to contrast the vastly different special world, the strange new world the hero is about to enter.

Call to Adventure
The hero is posed with a problem, challenge, or adventure. After this calling the hero cannot remain in the ordinary world. This call to adventure establishes the stakes of the story and makes the goals of the character clear.

Refusal of the Call
This step is all about fear. The hero is afraid of the new unknown world and circumstance, and is not committed to the journey yet. The hero must be brought into this new world, this is where the next step takes over.

The Mentor
The mentor is the teacher of the hero. A parent-like relation is established here. Tools, physical and metaphorical are given to the hero. The mentor is unable to complete the journey with the hero, because the hero must take up the responsibility of the journey alone.

Crossing the First Threshold
This is when the hero is fully committed to the journey. He takes that first step into the story, and the action takes off from here. The hero agrees to face the challenges of the journey here.

Tests, Allies and Enemies
After the hero fully commits to the journey, he must face new tests, and meet new people who will become either allies or enemies. In this step we see the stakes of the story deepen as it is enriched by others.

Approach the Inmost Cave
The hero arrives at the gate of the villain. The Inmost Cave is where the object of the quest is hidden; its where the main character will find what he is seeking. This step is mostly about preparation; the Inmost Cave is considered the most dangerous place in the special world.

The Ordeal
This is where the hero's fortunes hit rock bottom as his greatest fears are realized. The hero faces the possibility of death(physical or metaphorical) and is brought to the brink. It is the "belly of the beast." The Ordeal changes the hero as they realize their flaws, and are reborn through the pressure of this step. In this step, the hero often appears dead to the audience experiencing the story.

Reward (Seizing the Sword)
The hero takes possession of that which they have been seeking. The Reward is knowledge or power that will equip them to defeat the enemy or bring healing to the Ordinary World. This is where the protagonist earns the right to be called a hero.

The Road Back
The hero faces the consequences of The Ordeal and is pursued by the forces disturbed when retrieving The Reward. This stage is where the hero makes the decision to return to the Ordinary world, however, the hero knows there are more tests ahead.

Resurrection
Here, the hero who has been in the special world must be cleansed or reborn in order to return to the Ordinary World of the living. It is often the second life or death moment, almost a replay of The Ordeal. Its kind of like a final exam for the hero, who must see if they have actually learned anything from the lessons of The Ordeal.

Return with the Elixir
The hero returns to the Ordinary World, but the journey is meaningless if they don't bring back some sort of elixir, treasure, or lesson from the special world. The Elixir is a magical potion with the power to heal the Ordinary World, restoring any damage that has been done.

There you have it. Those are the twelve steps of the Hero's Journey. I understand that some of them are pretty heady sounding, but trust me, they make sense. I've experienced them first hand, and so have you, even if you haven't realized it.