Hero

What defines a hero? Is it the hero’s actions or the character? Or will it be other events that the hero has no control over? And what stops the hero from being or becoming a villain? Throughout history there are tales of heroes and the journeys that they embark on. Heroes are known to people as the ones who can do no wrong and only have the purest of hearts. A hero’s story will normally tell the audience of the great things the hero has done or the evil a hero encounters. Like Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey, you will hear of along journey to define them as a person. The hero’s mythic structure which Joseph Campbell states is the archetype of a good story. Where they have been, what got them there and how did they over come the odds to make them a hero. There comes a time when the hero will be tempted by evil or the “Darkside” of life. Star Wars is one these stories about Anakin Skywalker a young Jedi, who at an early age is doomed by the choices he makes. Every hero’s journey will have at least one of these common traits or all: a departure, initiation, return, and the common mythic elements. These elements will guide the hero through his life and mold his character.

Star Wars begins with the world searching for a hero, someone to rid the galaxy of the evil known as the Sith who are the evil masters of the “force”. Along with being the evil masters they try to use their power to destroy the Jedi and rule the galaxy. The Jedi are the true masters of the force and their power can only be willed by the purest of hearts. Along with possessing the force the Jedi are supposed to be the sworn protectors of all that is good throughout the galaxy. The force is a power that has great advantages to who ever can control it. The force allow the Jedi and Sith to move objects and control people’s mind without any effort amongst many other things. There seems to be no answer to destroying the Sith but the hope of a prophecy of a young child that will be the chosen one and is to rid the galaxy of the evil Sith.

Enter a child named Anakin Skywalker who by many standards is the chosen one but is not ready to carry the hope of many people to protect the galaxy from the evil. The prophecy calls for young Skywalker to destroy the Sith and return balance back to the galaxy. Anakin is taken by Obi-Wan Kenobi a Jedi Master to be taught the way of the force, just as Yoda another Jedi Master taught him. Obi-Wan will be Anakin’s mentor through this process and the common mythic element. The common mythic element is the influence of a person or a guide to the hero to remind him of what is right. Throughout the story Obi-Wan will make sure Anakin stays on the right path and is not tempted by the dark side. As a young child Anakin will learn the way of the Jedi and will start the departure of him of his hero’s journey. The departures are the events that get everything started, but for Anakin this is the start of his demise.

Obi-Wan teaches Anakin the way of the Jedi: mind control, the art of the light saber and how to use the way of the force for good and against the evil that he will later face. This could be seen as the initiation of Anakin into to the hero’s journey. The initiation of a hero is the call for hero to be shown the way, but it is up to hero in which path they will chose. It often takes something major for the hero to realize what they are to become. During his initiation Anakin will come across many things that will later tempt him to a different path. He goes on to meet a girl named Pagme and falls in love with her and he swears to protect her and the world from evil no matter and he will always do right. This is also example of initiation because Pagme will be the reason for what Anakin does later. Along with being part of the initiation, Pagme is the Goddess a woman who is dear to the hero.

His time learning the way of the Jedi is a long one. But Anakin is often told that he is the chosen one. He feels that Obi-Wan and the council are holding him back from his true powers and his place amongst the Jedi Masters, which in away is his life shifting and leading Anakin to be able to trust anyone anymore. Anakin discovers a power that is greater then the Jedi’s, the “Dark side”. The Sith Lord