The Hero's Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters:
The Hero's Journey:
• Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.
• Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.
• Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.
The Hero's Journey is also a study of repeating patterns in successful stories and screenplays. It is compelling that screenwriters have a higher probability of producing quality work when they mirror the recurring patterns found in successful screenplays.
Consider this:
• Titanic (1997) grossed over $600,000,000 – uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
• Star Wars (1977) grossed over $460,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
• Shrek 2 (2004) grossed over $436,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
• ET (1982) grossed over $434,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
• Spiderman (2002) grossed over $432,000,000 - uses the Hero's Journey as a template.
• Out of Africa (1985), Terms of Endearment (1983), Dances with Wolves (1990), Gladiator (2000) – All Academy Award Winners Best Film are based on the Hero's Journey.
• Anti-hero stories (Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990) etc) are all based on the Hero's Journey.
• Heroine’s Journey stories (Million Dollar Baby (2004), Out of Africa (1980) etc) are all based on the Hero's Journey.
Hero's Journey - Antagonist's True Self Revealed.
The penultimate stage of the standard Hero's Journey is the Master of the Two Worlds (detailed versions include the Afterlife etc...). This stage can also be called the Final Conflict as it is where the hero conquers his or her outer challenge.
The Outer Challenge is conquered in stages of, normally, three: the three catharses. This process is more evident in straight good versus evil stories but can be spotted in other stories (Raging Bull, 1980).
At around about the time of the Second Catharis, the antagonist's true self is revealed and it normally turns out that the antagonist resembles, is familiar with, mirrors, is a shadow or similar of the hero.
Though there is no definite proof or reason for this - except maybe in the fields of psycholanalysis or similar - some texts in literature argue that it is because the hero and antagonist are one and the same; two sides of the same coin - which is why they were destined to battle. It is also stated in some texts that the true reason for the hero's journey is to encourage the antagonist to reveal himself [to himself] - to bring light to the darkness.
In fact, the Supernatural Aid and the hero are both mirrors of the antagonist - it is simply that these two chose a different path.
For example, in Return of the Jedi (1983) Vader takes off his mask to reveal his true self to Luke. In Spiderman (2002), the Green Goblin reveals himself to be Harry's Father.
Learn more…
The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and FREE 17 stage sample and other story structure templates can be found at
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Kal Bishop, MBA
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Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at
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