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Mythic Elements in Star Wars and The Matrix

The document compares and contrasts the hero's journey story structure as seen in Star Wars, The Matrix, and Campbell's monomyth. It outlines the typical stages of the hero's journey and maps them to events in each story, noting common mythic elements like mentors, oracles, prophecies, and shapeshifters.

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6 views4 pages

Mythic Elements in Star Wars and The Matrix

The document compares and contrasts the hero's journey story structure as seen in Star Wars, The Matrix, and Campbell's monomyth. It outlines the typical stages of the hero's journey and maps them to events in each story, noting common mythic elements like mentors, oracles, prophecies, and shapeshifters.

Uploaded by

Telma
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Campbell Star Wars The Matrix

I: Departure

The call to adventure Princess Leia's message "Follow the white rabbit"

Refusal of the call Must help with the harvest Neo won't climb out window

Supernatural aid Obi-wan rescues Luke from sand people Trinity extracts the "bug" from Neo

Neo is taken out of the Matrix for the


Crossing the first threshold Escaping Tatooine
first time

The belly of the whale Trash compactor Torture room

II: Initiation

The road of trials Lightsaber practice Sparring with Morpheus

Princess Leia (wears white, in earlier scripts was a


The meeting with the goddess The Oracle
"sister" of a mystic order)

Cypher (the failed messiah) is tempted


Temptation away from the true path Luke is tempted by the Dark Side
by the world of comfortable illusions

Neo rescues and comes to agree (that


Atonement with the Father Darth and Luke reconcile he's The One) with his father-figure,
Morpheus

Apotheosis (becoming god-like) Luke becomes a Jedi Neo becomes The One

The ultimate boon Death Star destroyed Humanity's salvation now within reach

III: Return

"Luke, come on!" Luke wants to stay to avenge Obi-


Refusal of the return Neo fights agent instead of running
Wan
The magic flight Millennium Falcon "Jacking in"

Rescue from without Han saves Luke from Darth Trinity saves Neo from agents

Crossing the return threshold Millennium Falcon destroys pursuing TIE fighters Neo fights Agent Smith

Neo's declares victory over machines in


Master of the two worlds Victory ceremony
final phone call

Freedom to live Rebellion is victorious over Empire Humans are victorious over machines

Common Mythic Elements

Two Worlds (mundane and special) Planetside vs. The Death Star Reality vs. The Matrix

The Mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi Morpheus

The Oracle Yoda The Oracle

Morpheus will find (and Trinity will


The Prophecy Luke will overthrow the Emperor
fall for) "The One"

In an early version of the script,


Failed Hero Biggs Morpheus once believed that Cypher
was "The One"

Wearing
Luke and Han wear stormtrooper outfits Neo jumps into agent's skin
Enemy's Skin

Shapeshifter (the Hero isn't sure if he


Han Solo Cypher
can trust this character)

Animal familiar R2-D2, Chewbacca N/A

Chasing a lone animal into the Luke follows R2 into the Jundland Wastes; The
Neo "follows the white rabbit" to the
enchanted wood (the animal usually Millennium Falcon follows a lone TIE fighter into
nightclub where he meets Trinity
gets away) range of the Death Star

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