The Hero’s Journey’s Eight Character Archetypes

The Central Characters Fall into one of these rolls

The Eight Basic Character Roles in Hero Stories

▪The Hero

▪The Mentor

▪The Ally

▪The Herald

▪The Trickster

▪The Shapeshifter

▪The Guardian

▪The Shadow

1. The Hero

▪The Audience’s personal tour guide

▪Leaves one world to go into a new one

▪Needs to have new skills to “pay the bills”

▪Needs to save the day!

J in Men in Black ▪ A cop at the top of his beat, he is suddenly taken behind the masquerade of everyday life. Waiting for him is a world where aliens are hiding among everyday people, and a galaxy can be as small as a marble. While he’s still a cop in essence, his adversaries – and the tools he must wield against them – are nothing like he’s previously known.

Other heroes: any protagonist fits the hero role. Some heroes from stories that stick closely to the hero’s journey are Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, Alice from Alice in Wonderland, and Luke Skywalker from Star Wars.

2. The Mentor

▪Gives the hero a fighting chance

▪ Tells the hero how the world works

▪ Instructs the hero do use their abilities any way they can

▪Hooks the hero up with something he will need

Glinda in The Wizard of Oz

▪ She describes where Dorothy is, and explains that she’s just killed the Wicked Witch of the East. Then, before the Wicked Witch of the West can claim the ruby slippers, Glinda gifts them to the hero instead. Often, the mentor will perform another important task – getting the plot moving. Heroes can be reluctant to leave the world they know for one they don’t. Glinda tells Dorothy to seek the Wizard, and shows her the yellow brick road. Once the hero is on the right path and has what they need to survive, the mentor disappears. Heroes must fight without their help.

Other mentors: Morpheus from the Matrix, Dumbledore from Harry Potter, and Tia Dalma from Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3.

3. The Ally

▪There to help the hero in any way they can

▪Takes one for the team

▪Carry their gear if needed

▪Keeps the hero company

Samwise in Lord of the Rings

▪ Samwise looks up to Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. He starts the story as a gardener, joining the group almost by accident. He feels it’s his job to keep Frodo safe. But not all allies start that way. They can be more like Han Solo, disagreeable at first, then friendly once the hero earns their respect. Either way, the loyalty and admiration allies have for the hero tells the audience that they are worthy of the trials ahead

Other allies: Robin from Batman, Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter, and the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz.

4. The Herald

▪Tells the hero he needs some type of change

▪Sets the whole adventure in motion

▪Often lets the hero know what a new life would look like

R2D2 in Star Wars

▪ R2D2 sets the story in motion with his message from Princess and helps changes Luke’s direction and the entire saga that follows

Other heralds: Effie from the Hunger Games and the invitation to the ball in Cinderella.

5. The Trickster

▪Adds fun and humor

▪Often has another job

▪Offers an outside perspective

▪Usually good at “lampshading” the story or actions of other characters

Dobby from Harry Potter

▪ Dobby from Harry Potter is an ideal trickster. He means well, but his efforts to help Harry Potter do more harm than good. And every time he appears in person, his behavior is ridiculous. However, underlying the humorous exterior is a serious issue – Dobby is a slave, and he wants to be free of his masters.

Other tricksters: Luna Lovegood (also from Harry Potter), Crewman #6 from Galaxy Quest, and Merry and Pippin from LoTR

6. The Shapeshifter

▪Blurs the line between ally and enemy

▪Their loyalty is in question

▪Combine appeal and possible danger

▪Adds tension because of the relationship with the characters

Dr. Elsa Schneider, from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

▪ Even after she reveals she is working for the enemy, she and the hero still have feelings for each other. She allows him to steal an item back without getting caught, and he allows her to discover the McGuffin with him. But the distrust between them remains.

Other shapeshifters: Gollum from LOTR, Catwoman from Batman, and Gilderoy Lockhart from Harry Potter.

7. The Guardian

▪Tests the hero before the real deal

▪They appear at any time and anywhere, and always seem to block a border or entrance of some kind

▪Basically telling the hero to go home, he can’t do it unless he proves it now

The Wall Guard in Stardust

▪ He stands alone at a broken section of stone wall between real world England and the fairy realm of Stormhold. The guard is friendly when Tristan tries to pass into the fairy realm to start his adventure, but he carries a big stick and he’s not afraid to use it

Other guardians: The Doorknob from Alice in Wonderland, the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Heimdall from Thor.

8. The Shadow

▪The villain of the story

▪All they do is create threat and conflict

▪Not always characters

▪Often can mirror the hero in some way

Darth Vader in Star Wars

▪ The reveal that Darth Vader is Luke’s father, right after Luke had ignored Yoda’s advice, makes the dark side feel more threatening.

Other shadows: Voldemort from Harry Potter, Sauron from LOTR, and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.