The Hero's Journey, SIMPLIFIED
In our last lesson, we used the original Joseph Campbell’s 17-stage Hero’s Journey to analyze the movie “The Matrix”.
You saw then how closely the script of this movie sticks to all these 17 stages, even taking the time to represent a few of them with the arc of a secondary character –Cypher, for instance– in cases where a particular stage wasn’t appropriate for the Hero or somehow didn’t fit the story.
This is a very important lesson that we should always keep in mind, no matter what story structure we decide to use as a guide while writing the story:
Story Structure is just a guide whose only mission is to help us hit all the right moments –called “beats” in cinema– in order to make the story interesting and captivating for the audience, never a straitjacket to stifle creativity!
The story you’re telling is, and will always be, the most important consideration.
As the screenwriter, you’re always in charge, and you can decide at any time to rearrange or even entirely ignore or subvert some of these “stations along the way”.
After all, these “stages” or plot points are just helpful signposts along the way, not sacred signs carved in stone!
With that being said, we should also remember that this original 17-stage Hero’s Journey was never intended to be used to write movies in the first place.
Campbell arrived at these 17 stages by analyzing hundreds of mythological stories told in a wide variety of cultures around the world through thousands of years of history, comparing them with Carl Jung’s Psychological Archetypes, and looking for the common elements present in all of them.
So yes, when the story we’re going to tell is about an Epic Hero, like Neo in The Matrix, or Luke in Star Wars, this structure deeply resonates with the audience.
The way I like to think about it is:
Is this a story about some kind of “Chosen One” or “Messiah”?
If so, the original 17 stages are an excellent guide!
That’s why the stories of Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Osiris, and many other prominent religious and mythological figures of the past feel so deeply similar to Neo’s…
It’s, actually, the same story, since their stories are based on the exact same story blueprint or archetype: The Hero’s Journey!
(That’s why Joseph Campbell called this hero’s journey, “the Monomyth”.)
But, of course, not all movies are about Epic Heroes.
That’s why Chris Vogler, the man credited with introducing the Hero’s Journey to Hollywood studios in the 80s, took it upon himself to simplify and adapt Campbell’s framework to make it more suitable for the variety of different stories and genres we can find in modern movies.
The resulting story framework, named by Vogler The Writer’s Journey, and presented to the world in the book of the same name, is quite different in form and purpose from Campbell’s original work!
For starters, we need to understand that Campbell’s Hero and what we usually call “the hero” in the context of movies are quite different things!
When Campbell talks about “The Hero”, he’s talking about an actual hero of epic proportions, someone who goes through a God-like transformation to bring back with them a message, teachings, or a blessing that will forever change the world.
When we say “the hero” in the context of a novel or a screenplay, we’re simply talking about the character the story is about": the protagonist.
This is a subtle but crucial distinction, because in life and in movies, from the point of view of a character, he or she is always the hero of their own story!
But in an epic heroic story, it is quite obvious who the hero is, and everyone around them is either helping them to accomplish their goal or opposing them in some way!
Also, in an epic Hero’s Journey the key stages of Death and Resurrection are usually quite literal: they refer to physically dying and resurrecting –like in Neo’s story
Meanwhile, in most common day-to-day stories, Death & Resurrection are just a symbol for the key transformation the character must undergo: the old self must die for the new, wiser self to appear.
With all this in mind, let’s see now how Vogler’s version of the Hero’s Journey looks like:
First of all, we see that the main structure of the Journey is maintained: a circular journey –the concept of the Return is a key element of the monomyth– divided between an Ordinary World and a Special World.
Vogler also clarifies further what stages fall in each part of Act II, which creates a new quadrant we didn’t have in Campbell’s version: Descent.
The quadrants are now more equally distributed than in the original version, which fits better with the conventions of screenwriting and the 3-Act Structure.
In regard to the stages themselves, some have been merged together, and many have been renamed to make them more generally applicable and easy to remember.
Let’s bring back Campbell’s version to see the difference more clearly:
Let’s now compare this figure with a slightly more modern rendition of Vogler’s Writer’s Journey:
As you can see, this diagram wraps the journey in a clockwise manner instead of using the original’s counter-clockwise representation, which in my opinion makes it easier to read.
The first thing we notice is that Campbell’s “Equilibrium” point, which wasn’t one of the 17 stages, has now become the very first stage in Act I: Ordinary World.
This makes perfect sense since, in movies, we usually spend some time showing the hero in their ordinary world first, before the Call to Adventure comes to upset the status quo and throw them into the adventure the entire story is about.
The Call to Adventure and the Refusal of the Call stay the same, but Campbell’s Supernatural Aid is renamed to Meeting the Mentor, which feels more generally applicable.
Crossing the First Threshold, the plot point connecting Act I with Act II, remains the same.
It is in Act II where most of the simplification work has taken place:
In the first part of Act II, the so called Act I-A, Belly of the Whale and Road of Trials have merged into stage 6: Tests, Allies, Enemies, which sounds a lot more descriptive.
Meeting the Goddess has become Approach to the Inmost Cave, a much less prescriptive name than Campbell’s.
Woman as a Temptress is not present as a distinct stage in Vogler’s framework, but if appropriate for the story, it can be considered part of Tests, Allies and Enemies.
In the second part of Act II –Act II-B–the somewhat obscure Atonement with the Father is now The Ordeal, a much more descriptive name for what’s supposed to happen at the Midpoint of the story.
Apotheosis and The Ultimate Boon have merged into Seizing the Sword, or, more simply, Reward.
Finally, at the climax of Act II, Refusal of the Return, Magic Flight, Rescue from Without, and Crossing the Return Threshold have all been merged into the much more general and clearly named stage called The Road Back.
In my opinion, this simplification makes a lot of sense, considering that the Refusal of the Return, Magic Flight and Rescue from Without stages are not universally applicable to all stories anyway.
This is made evident by the fact that, even in The Matrix, a movie that tries its best to stick closely to Campbell’s original framework, we only get a nod to these three stages rather than a dedicated scene or sequence.
That also explains why Vogler decided to put The Road Back at the very edge separating Act II from Act III, the place originally occupied by Crossing the Return Threshold in Campbell’s monomyth.
Finally, in Act III, Master of Two Worlds becomes Resurrection –although the idea of Returning with the Mastery of both the Ordinary and the Special Worlds remains an important element of the framework– and Freedom to Live has become Return with the Elixir.
As you can see, Vogler did a great job not only at simplifying stages to make the framework more generally applicable to all types of stories, but also at modernizing many of the names to make them easier to grasp and remember.
So… does this mean that we should completely forget about the original 17-stage Hero’s Journey from now on?
Of course not!
But in practice, it’s likely that you’ll be using Vogler’s version –or an even simpler version, like Dan Harmon’s Story Circle– as a guide for most of the scripts you write.
Once in a while though, you might be working on an epic hero story that would really benefit from the extra definition and psychological depth that the original 17 stages provide, and that’s why I wanted to make you aware of their existence.
Another key contribution of Vogler is his clear definition of the Archetypes from a dramatic point of view.
Building on Carl Jung’s Psychological Archetypes, Campbell's original 17-stage model is a complex philosophical and psychological framework describing what he called the hero's "transformation of consciousness".
It charts a profound inner journey of separation, initiation, and return, exploring the very process of human growth and enlightenment.
Vogler's adaptation made two key changes:
First, he streamlined Campbell's 17 stages into a more manageable 12-stage structure, aligning it with the classic three-act paradigm of screenwriting, as we saw before.
Second, he reconfigured Jung's broad psychological archetypes into eight distinct, functional roles specifically tailored for dramatic narrative.
His explicit goal was to create an "analytical tool" and a "map" for writers to help them navigate the complexities of story construction and "determine what's wrong with a story that's floundering".
We'll discover Vogler's 8 Archetypes together in the next issue, but for now, let me gently introduce you to some of them by analyzing The Matrix again, this time through the lens of Vogler's Writer's Journey and its Archetypes:
Act I: Departure
STAGE #1: The Ordinary World
Vogler's Description:
The hero is introduced sympathetically in their everyday life, often feeling uneasy, uncomfortable, or unaware of their potential.
This stage establishes their environment, personal history, and any existing stresses or polarities in their life.
The film introduces Thomas Anderson, a computer programmer for a reputable software company (Metacortex) by day, who leads a secret life as the hacker "Neo" by night.
He is clearly dissatisfied with his mundane corporate job and is driven by an obsessive search for Morpheus and the answer to the question: "What is the Matrix?".
Justification:
These opening scenes effectively establish Neo's "ordinary world" as one of duality and quiet discontent.
His legitimate profession contrasts with his illicit hacking activities, highlighting the "polarity" and underlying restlessness that make him receptive to the call to adventure.
Prominent Archetypes & Roles:
Neo (The Hero).
STAGE #2: Call to Adventure
Vogler's Description:
An event or piece of information shakes up the hero's situation, compelling them to face the beginnings of change.
This is the inciting incident that launches the story.
The cryptic messages appearing on Neo's computer ("Wake up, Neo," "The Matrix has you," "Follow the white rabbit") serve as the initial call.
This is quickly followed by Trinity's appearance at the nightclub, where she directly tells him he is in danger and alludes to the Matrix.
The subsequent phone call from Morpheus while Neo is at his office, warning him of the approaching Agents, intensifies this call.
Justification:
These events directly and forcefully pull Neo from his routine, confronting him with danger and the promise of answers to his deepest questions, thus initiating his journey.
Prominent Archetypes & Roles:
Trinity (Herald – makes initial contact and delivers a warning).
Morpheus (Herald – delivers a more direct call and attempts to guide Neo's escape).
STAGE #3: Refusal of the Call
Vogler's Description:
The hero hesitates or refuses the adventure due to fear, insecurity, or other internal or external pressures.
This stage communicates the risks involved.
When Morpheus instructs Neo to escape his office building by climbing out onto a high window ledge and scaffold, Neo is overcome by fear of heights and refuses, leading to his capture by the Agents.
Later, after being freed from the Matrix and learning the devastating truth, Neo's initial reaction is shock and disbelief –vomiting and passing out– which can be seen as a visceral refusal of this new reality.
Justification:
Neo's fear directly causes him to "turn away from the adventure" , resulting in negative consequences (capture).
His later physical and emotional rejection of the "desert of the real" also embodies this refusal.
Prominent Archetypes & Roles:
Neo (Hero experiencing fear and doubt).
Agents (Threshold Guardians – their pursuit indirectly causes the scaffold refusal situation).
STAGE #4: Meeting with the Mentor
Vogler's Description:
The hero encounters a seasoned traveler of the worlds, a wise old man or woman, or a guiding principle that provides training, equipment, advice, or confidence.
After being extracted by Trinity and her crew, Neo is brought to meet Morpheus in a dilapidated hotel room.
Morpheus explains the nature of the Matrix, Neo's enslavement, and offers him the pivotal choice between the red pill (truth and the journey) and the blue pill (ignorance and return to his old life).
Justification:
Morpheus is the archetypal mentor figure.
He imparts crucial knowledge, offers the "equipment" (the red pill, representing choice and truth) necessary for the journey, and instills in Neo the initial belief in his potential as "The One."
Prominent Archetypes & Roles:
Morpheus (Mentor – provides wisdom, guidance, and the means to proceed).
Trinity (Ally, although she also acts as a form of Mentor through her belief and support).
STAGE #5: Crossing the First Threshold
Vogler's Description:
The hero commits to the adventure, leaving the Ordinary World and entering a new region or condition with unfamiliar rules and values.
This is often a point of no return.
Neo chooses and swallows the red pill.
His perception of reality distorts (the mirror scene), and he awakens violently in his pod in the human power fields.
He is then "flushed" and rescued by the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar, with Morpheus welcoming him to "the real world".
Justification:
This is a dramatic and irreversible departure from Neo's known existence (the Matrix) into the "Special World" (the desolate 22nd-century reality and the war against the machines).
The choice of the red pill signifies his commitment.
Prominent Archetypes & Roles:
Neo (Hero making the irrevocable commitment).
Morpheus (Mentor facilitating the crossing).
Act II-A: Descent
STAGE #6: Tests, Allies, Enemies
Vogler's Description:
The hero is tested and must sort out allegiances in the Special World, learning its rules, making friends, and confronting enemies.
This stage encompasses Neo's extensive training aboard the Nebuchadnezzar: learning various combat skills (Jujitsu, Kung Fu), attempting the Jump Program (and failing initially), and understanding the capabilities and dangers of Agents.
He forms crucial bonds with the crew, particularly Trinity (Ally), Tank (Ally and Operator), and Dozer (Ally).
He also encounters the duplicity of Cypher, who ultimately reveals himself as an Enemy and a Betrayer.
Justification:
This extended sequence is crucial for Neo's development.
He learns the rules of this new, dangerous world, hones his skills through various trials, and begins to distinguish true allies from those who would harm him or the cause.
Prominent Archetypes & Roles:
Neo (Hero undergoing tests and learning).
Morpheus (Mentor providing training and context).
Trinity, Tank, Dozer (Allies offering support and skills).
Agents (Enemies/Shadow archetype, representing the oppressive system).
Cypher (Enemy, initially appearing as an Ally, then revealing himself as a Shadow /Betrayer, embodying a failed Hero).
STAGE #7: Approach to the Inmost Cave
Vogler's Description:
The hero and newfound allies prepare for a major challenge, nearing the central space of the Special World or the heart of the conflict.
The "inmost cave" is not always a literal cave but can be the villain's lair, the location of the ultimate goal, or a place of great danger and revelation.
The crew's mission to take Neo to see the Oracle, a mysterious and prophetic figure residing within the Matrix.
The Oracle's apartment, with its "Potentials" and the "Know Thyself" sign, serves as this "inmost cave".
Here, Neo receives unsettling prophecies: that he is not The One, and that he will have to choose between his life and Morpheus's.
This visit is immediately followed by Cypher's betrayal, which leads to an ambush by Agents and the capture of Morpheus.
Justification:
The Oracle's dwelling is a place of profound, dangerous knowledge, and the events immediately following this visit —Cypher's betrayal and Morpheus's capture— propel the narrative into its central crisis, for which this stage serves as preparation and setup.
Prominent Archetypes & Roles:
Neo (Hero approaching a crucial revelation/turning point).
Trinity, Morpheus (Allies).
The Oracle (Mentor/Shapeshifter/Herald – her pronouncements are enigmatic and steer events).
Cypher (Shadow/Betrayer – his actions trigger the crisis).
Agents (Shadow/Threshold Guardians of the "cave's" aftermath).
Act II-B: Initiation
STAGE #8: Ordeal
Vogler's Description:
The hero enters a central space in the Special World and confronts death or their greatest fear.
This is the major crisis of the story, a "black moment" where the hero hits rock bottom.
Out of this moment of death often comes new life or transformation.
Following Morpheus's capture and torture by Agent Smith, Neo makes the critical decision to re-enter the Matrix with Trinity to rescue him, effectively choosing to face almost certain death.
The ensuing assault on the heavily guarded government building, the intense lobby shootout, the rooftop battle where Neo begins to dodge bullets, and the helicopter rescue of Morpheus constitute this ordeal.
A later, more personal ordeal is when Agent Smith shoots Neo, seemingly killing him.
Justification:
The rescue mission is the film's major life-or-death crisis.
Neo confronts overwhelming odds and demonstrates extraordinary courage.
His subsequent "death" at the hands of Smith is the ultimate ordeal, the "black moment" from which he must be reborn.
Prominent Archetypes & Roles:
Neo (Hero facing his greatest fear, self-sacrifice, and literal death).
Trinity (Ally providing crucial support).
Morpheus (Ally, also the figure whose peril precipitates the ordeal).
Agents, and particularly Agent Smith (Shadow, the primary antagonist inflicting the ordeal).
STAGE #9: Reward (Seizing the Sword)
Vogler's Description:
Having survived death or the ordeal, the hero takes possession of the treasure or reward they have won.
This "sword" can be a physical object, knowledge, reconciliation, or greater self-awareness.
Morpheus is successfully rescued, which is an immediate reward.
However, the ultimate reward comes after Neo is shot and killed by Agent Smith. Trinity's kiss and her declaration of love, fulfilling the Oracle's prophecy that she would fall in love with The One, resurrects Neo.
Upon his revival, Neo awakens to his full power: he can see the Matrix as code, stop bullets, and effortlessly control his environment.
Justification:
The "treasure" Neo seizes is not a physical item but the complete realization of his identity and abilities as "The One."
This profound understanding of the Matrix and mastery over it is the direct consequence of his surviving the ordeal of death.
Prominent Archetypes & Roles:
Neo (Hero reborn, claiming his power).
Trinity (Ally /Lover, whose love is the catalyst for the ultimate reward).
Act III: Return
STAGE #10: The Road Back
Vogler's Description:
The hero is driven to complete the adventure, leaving the Special World to bring the treasure or elixir home.
This stage often involves a chase scene, signaling urgency and remaining danger.
After his resurrection and newfound powers, Neo confronts and seemingly destroys Agent Smith (by entering his code and exploding him from within).
He then must flee through the city, pursued by other Agents, to reach a hardline exit (a ringing payphone).
Simultaneously, in the real world, the Nebuchadnezzar is under attack by Sentinels, adding to the urgency.
Justification:
This is a literal and action-packed "road back" as Neo, possessing his "elixir" (his powers and knowledge), must escape the Matrix one last time.
The dual threat from Agents in the Matrix and Sentinels in the real world heightens the tension.
Prominent Archetypes & Roles:
Neo (Hero, now empowered, on his final escape).
Agent Smith (Shadow, still posing a threat).
Tank (Ally, guiding Neo to the exit).
STAGE #11: The Resurrection
Vogler's Description:
The climax of the story, where the hero is severely tested once more on the threshold of home.
They are purified by a last sacrifice, another moment of death and rebirth, but on a higher and more complete level.
The polarities that were in conflict are finally resolved.
Just as Neo reaches the payphone in Room 303 (the same room number where Trinity was at the beginning), Agent Smith ambushes him and shoots him multiple times, killing him.
In the real world, as Neo's vital signs cease, Trinity whispers her love for him, stating the Oracle told her she would fall in love with The One, and therefore Neo cannot be dead.
She kisses him. This act of love resurrects Neo within the Matrix.
He rises, now fully seeing the Matrix as code, stops the Agents' bullets with his mind, and calmly and effortlessly destroys Agent Smith by merging with him and obliterating his code from the inside.
Justification:
This is Neo's ultimate "death and rebirth".
It's a more profound transformation than his earlier "ordeal" experiences.
He not only survives but transcends his previous limitations, fully embodying his power as The One and decisively defeating his primary nemesis, resolving the central conflict of his individual journey.
Prominent Archetypes & Roles:
Neo (Hero undergoing a final, more profound death and rebirth, achieving full mastery).
Trinity (Ally/Lover, the catalyst for his resurrection).
Agent Smith (Shadow, the ultimate antagonist in this final confrontation).
STAGE #12: Return with the Elixir
Vogler's Description:
The hero returns home or continues the journey, bearing some element of the treasure (the elixir) that has the power to transform the world as the hero has been transformed.
Neo successfully exits the Matrix just as the Nebuchadnezzar's EMP disables the attacking Sentinels.
The film concludes with Neo making a phone call from within the Matrix.
He delivers a message to the machines (and to the audience, the enslaved humanity), stating his intention to show people the truth:
"I’ll show them what you don’t want them to see… a world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries. A world where anything is possible."
He then hangs up the phone and flies into the sky.
Justification:
The "elixir" Neo returns with is his complete power as The One, his profound understanding of the Matrix, and the hope of liberation he offers to all humanity trapped within the system.
He has been transformed, and he now possesses the means and the will to transform the world (the Matrix and, by extension, the human condition within it).
His flight signifies his transcendence and the promise of this transformation.
Prominent Archetypes & Roles:
Neo (Hero, now a figure of transformation and liberation for others).
As you can see, Vogler's framework, with its explicit integration of character archetypes, illuminates how these roles function dynamically within the narrative structure of The Matrix.
Characters often fulfill multiple archetypal functions or transition between them as the story progresses.
For instance, Trinity acts as an Ally throughout but also serves as a Herald in her initial contact with Neo and is instrumental in his Resurrection, a role that blends aspects of a savior or a profound Mentor through love.
The Oracle, while a clear Mentor figure, also functions as a Herald of difficult truths, and perhaps even a subtle Shapeshifter, given the enigmatic nature of her guidance and her later revealed role in the system.
Cypher embodies the Shadow archetype through his betrayal but also serves as a stark example of a failed Hero who refused the call to true awakening, preferring the illusion.
Agent Smith is the primary Shadow but also acts as a Threshold Guardian at various points, testing Neo's resolve and abilities.
This fluidity demonstrates that archetypes in Vogler's system are not merely static character labels but describe the crucial functions characters perform at different junctures of the hero's journey, thereby enriching the narrative's complexity and impact.
This practical, role-based perspective contrasts with Campbell's more symbolic and psychological treatment of archetypes.
And with that, I’m signing off for today’s issue of Flawlessly Human.
I strongly recommend you print out this entire issue and start using it as a guide to write your own stories!
See you next week, where we’ll dive deep into Character Development using Vogler’s 8 Archetypes as a guide!
Until then,
Leonardo
P. S. A quick apology for not including an illustrative shot for each one of the stages like I did in the last issue.
It's been an intense week, and my priority was getting this lesson to you TODAY without delay.
I promise I'll be updating the web version with all the images really soon!
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