Page 118 - Star Wars Insider (Special Edition 2020)

THE WIZARD’S JOURNEY

Obi-Wan learns much from 01
his former master during his
long exile on Tatooine, but we
only saw the origin and end
of that process in Star Wars:
Revenge of the Sith (2005) and
A New Hope, not his progress in
between. For Yoda, The Clone
Wars offers a brief glimpse into
his spiritual and philosophical
transformation, when he visits
the mysterious Force Priestesses
and learns how to reconnect with
Qui-Gon during the Season One
episode, “Destiny.”
In The Last Jedi, however,
we see a Jedi Master take his
Wizard’s Journey onscreen. In his

first interactions with Rey, Luke
is very much the archetype of a
wizard mentor—and an especially
grumpy one at that. But then the
story moves him forward, and he
becomes not simply a Gandalf, or
a Yoda in Empire, but something
more: Rocky Balboa learning to
become a teacher and mentor to
Adonis in Creed (2015); Captain
America redefining his nature

and purpose as a hero in the

face of fundamental conflicts
over power and accountability
in Captain America: Civil War
(2016); and in The Hunger Games the ability to wield magic, an to redefine their identity, reconciling who they have

movies, Haymitch and Finnick innate or artificially induced been with who they are now becoming. As one cycle
evolving to become not merely superpower—and must learn builds upon another, the hero draws progressively
former victors and allies to to use that gift in the course closer to their true self.
Katniss, but icons of the rebellion of succeeding on a quest. Luke For comparison, this iteration of heroic cycles
in their own right. Luke fulfills blows up the Death Star, then is quite distinct from more contemporary forms of

his Wizard’s Journey before our later saves his father. Katniss storytelling in which the character becomes more
very eyes. wins the Hunger Games, then powerful over time. With its origins in roleplaying
helps liberate Panem. Wonder games, and now common in videogames, the
Luke Skywalker’s Woman defeats Ares, and saves concept is a familiar one: ongoing adventures
Heroic Cycles the World of Man. provide the character with experience which allows

The first iteration of a Hero’s Once the hero’s origin story them to “level up” in power, unlocking increasingly
Journey, according to Campbell is completed, they can progress stronger abilities and requiring opposition from
and Vogler, is what a modern through further heroic cycles. increasingly dangerous adversaries. The best
audience would call the “origin Each new adventure brings a creative storytellers will ensure that the characters’
story.” The hero has some special new metamorphosis. Each new aspirations and motivations evolve alongside their
gift—a connection to the Force, transformation compels the hero abilities, but often—especially in YA fiction—a

gaming-style focus on “power creep” predominates
over personal growth. Arguably the Star Wars
“In the events between Legends tales struggled over time with this dynamic,

trilogies, Luke has gone from particularly in relation to Luke and other Jedi, by
focusing on combat prowess or feats of the Force
Jedi Knight to Jedi Master, and rather than exploring their emotional crises or
spiritual development.
then disappeared into exile.” In the films, Luke’s origin story establishes the

basis for his subsequent heroic cycles. In A New

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