Because everyone loves a good story
Stage Eleven: Resurrection, Part 1
I know what you’re thinking. “Wait a second; hold up. Resurrection? This is a repeat! A mistake! Resurrection is so three stages ago.”
Now, I can’t contest the fact that we witnessed our hero die (literally or figuratively) and come back to life in Stage Eight: The Ordeal. All I can say is: just keep reading. You’ll see that both stages are good and necessary. And to prove that I have your best interest in mind, I’ve broken this into a two-part post so as not to overwhelm you.
Ready to dive in? Wonderful!
The Purpose of Final Resurrection
Now, down to business. We know that the hero already faced death and resurrection in the Supreme Ordeal, so what’s with this second resurrection? There are several answers, but Christopher Vogler emphasizes one of the most important ones with the fact that “heroes must be tested one last time to see if they retained the learning from the Supreme Ordeal of Act Two.” [205]
Remember, somewhere just after the midpoint of the story, the hero was faced with what he thought was his biggest fear or foe. He probably had to give up something very important here, whether a friend, a treasure, his safety, or even his own life. But after this, the hero was miraculously “reborn” in the sense that he returned and was able to gain the prize he set out for in the first place. He grasped his reward and began his journey home.
Blocked at the Threshold
This journey leads him once again to a threshold. When he faced the First Threshold, if you remember, the hero paused to weigh, consider, or even reject the offer of the adventure. He seemed scared or non-committal; he was his own barrier. Eventually, he was motivated to embark, but now we see him halted in his journey back to the Ordinary World.
This time, however, he is probably paused by an outer rather than an inner force. The purpose? A final transformation.
Christopher Vogler explains it this way: “Heroes have to undergo a final purging and purification before reentering the Ordinary World…. Just as heroes had to shed their old selves to enter the Special World, they now must shed the personality of the journey and build a new one that is suitable for return to the Ordinary World. It should reflect the best parts of the old selves and the lessons learned along the way.” [203-204] The catalyst for this shedding of the warrior-self may be a choice, a confrontation, or even a battle, but the hero’s response will determine his fitness to reenter civilian society.
A great example is Neo’s transformation at the end of the first Matrix movie. He is blocked from returning to the real world by Smith, the antagonist. He is soon killed by Smith’s bullets, but he is resurrected by Trinity’s love for him. When he resurrects as his new, enlightened self, he has left behind his weakness and instead has tapped into all of his previous teachings. He has been purified.
The Stakes of the Last Brush with Death
Often, the purging takes the form of one last battle. In earlier battles, the hero may have been foiled by a character flaw. Maybe she forgot the advice of her Mentor or was distracted by an obsession. Maybe she fought valiantly, but the enemy managed to escape. No matter the outcome of her earlier Ordeal, she has a chance to settle things once and for all here on the Threshold.
Often the final faceoff has higher stakes than the previous fights. Earlier, the hero may have been fighting for her own life or for the right to continue her quest. This final ordeal, however, is the climax of the adventure, and the stakes are as high as they can get. It’s not just about the hero; it’s about her family, her friends, her community, or even her world. For example, all the battles and trials of The Lord of the Rings culminate with the final battle inside Frodo himself. He is no longer fighting to survive against orcs and spiders; he is now battling for the fate of Middle Earth, and he is his own worst enemy. Thankfully, when the stakes are highest, the obsessive desires of Gollum save the world. Nice work, Sméagol, you pathetic little creature.
Happily Ever After, or Otherwise
Now, it would be lovely if good causes were always rewarded with a happy ending. Often, this is the case, and it’s very satisfying indeed. In these stories, the hero will fight to the ultimate edge of death, and just when we despair of his survival, he will surprise us all with one last blow that finishes the enemy. Maybe he calls on the advice of his Mentor or consciously releases what held him back before. Harry Potter chooses to let go of his fears and die in order to save his school and the world as he knows it. However, once the shard of Voldemort has been obliterated from his soul, he is given the chance to return; he is resurrected.
Sometimes, however, a good cause costs the ultimate price. In these stories, the hero comes face to face with death and, instead of triumphing, is overcome. This can still be in harmony with the lessons of his Mentor and the rejection of his previous flaws; often, it’s a conscious decision on the part of the hero to sacrifice himself for the cause. Although it’s tragic, it is fitting. In the movie “Batman vs Superman,” Kal-El chooses to end the monster Doomsday, even though he knows it will be the end of himself as well. He does it to save the one he loves and the world he has come to love. When the dust settles, we see him stretched out in the shape of a cross, a clear reference to a sacrificial savior’s death.
But if this is about resurrection, then how does the hero live on? Vogler believes that “doomed or tragic heroes are Resurrected in the sense that they usually live on in the memory of the survivors, those for whom they gave their lives.” [207] The tragic hero also lives on in the memory of the audience. That may seem like small consolation unless you like depressing stories. Or, in the case of Superman, unless you go on to watch the next movie.
And speaking of cliff hangers, I’ll leave you here for this week. Don’t forget to tune in next week as we wrap up this all-important stage of Resurrection!
Today’s Question: Think of a story in which the hero must fight one last battle before going home. Was he or she spared, resurrected, or sacrificed?
Sources:
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, Second Edition. Studio City: Michael Wiese Productions, 1998.
One Comment on “Stage Eleven: Resurrection, Part 1”
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I like this idea of resurrection a lot! I think because it plucks at the heart strings for me in that it always reminds me of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for us. There’s a lot of examples that replicate the idea of the “ultimate sacrifice” and they always make good stories because it’s the ultimate unselfish love for others that’s so pure. That’s why superhero movies are so popular because deep down we love the idea of a hero that would sacrifice himself to save us or humanity even if it kills him to do it and I believe that idea resonates so well with us because God placed that in us.
Anyways about the question. I think the one that comes to mind for me (again) is the Guy Ritchie version of King Arthur. SPOILER ALERT…….
King Arthur at the end of the movie must face his antagonist and he survives the battle, but I think what’s also cool is the movie portrays two heroes. King Arthur’s father Uther dies at the beginning of the movie when King Arthur is just a child, but his death was a sacrificial death that preserved King Arthur’s life. Then as the movie goes on the story of how father is betrayed is played out and the same antagonist that killed his father becomes King Arthurs antagonist. In the final battle King Arthur defeats him and destroys the evil tower. But at this point King Arthurs has transformed and truly become the king he was meant to be.